Of Blood and Water
by MannixMind
Summary: Through the smoke and confusion of the attack on Woodberry Lexi thinks she sees the answer to their prayers- Caitlyn's brother Rick. The only way to be sure is to risk everything and rescue the brother of the man she hates. But while Daryl is eager to bring Caitlyn Grimes back to the group, he's hesitant about Lexi. Even if she saved him, can he really trust Shane's baby sister?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fanfic so please review! It takes place right after season three episode 8. I want to stay as true to the characters as possible so if something seems out of whack, let me know! Also, disclaimer I ownnothing so please don't sue me AMC!**

Chapter One

-Lexi-

"It was you! You lied! You betrayed us all!"

The Governor's accusation of Merle rang out in the makeshift amphitheater, shocking the crowd and chilling Lexi to the bone.

She hated the redneck, more than she could ever say. Although a part of her knew Caitlyn had been broken since she had dragged her out of Emory Hospital, before her encounter with him she had been steadily regaining her sanity. She'd spent nearly a week lucid and functioning in Woodberry, before Merle's advances. Since then she'd become as in and out as ever, rarely conscious of their surroundings and never aware of the threat that lurked beyond the walls.

Still, as they stripped Merle of his weapons Lexi felt a growing uneasiness in her stomach. Something wasn't right in this.

She'd seen the destruction the terrorists had wrought first hand. During the attack she'd made her way through the fray like a mad woman, adrenalin coursing through her veins, in a desperate attempt to reach Caitlyn who was trapped in the apartment they shared. Although she had kept her head down as she raced across the street, she could have sworn she saw Merle, crouched behind a park bench, firing shots at the terrorists as the climbed out over the wall. She swore she could remember freezing right behind him when the woman's scream made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Rick! Rick!"

Reckless though it was, Lexi had frozen in spite of herself. She'd seen a man near Rick's height standing over Thomas' body, pistol drawn. Her heart had skipped a beat as she saw cold blue eyes stare out at her. But then he was gone, climbing over the school bus on the eastern wall and fading into the night. Seconds later, a bullet wizzed by her head and struck the stop sign behind her, waking her from her stupor and sending her sprinting to the front door of their townhouse. Still, she hadn't been able to silence the voice in the back of her mind.

What if it was him?

"This is one of the terrorists!"

The Governor's cry brought Lexi's mind back to the present, as she saw a hooded man being dragged to the center of the ring. The way they had him bound and covered reminded Lexi of the images of hostages that used to play on Al Jazeera years before.

Good god, this is getting out of hand.

"Merle's own brother!" The Governor screamed, dramatically ripping the man's hood off to the gasps and jeers of the crowd.

Lexi stared down at the man in the flickering torchlight her heart racing. He was clearly younger than Merle. His hair, though soaked through with sweat from being covered by the hood, was still a tawny brown, and apart from where his eyes naturally crinkled his face was unlined. Lexi wasn't sure if the years of hard drug use Merle was ever so keen to discuss created the illusion of a formidable age difference, but as she watched the man's eyes dart back and forth, evaluating his surroundings with a look of bewildered fury on his face, she was sure that like his brother, this man was a force to be reckoned with.

This man is dangerous. She thought, shivering slightly as his piercing blue eyes connected with her green ones, and almost backing away entirely as his mouth twisted into a contemptuous snarl.

And yet as the Governor called on the crowd to tell him what should be done with the criminals, and the cries of "Kill them! Kill them!" began to reverberate through the arena Lexi could feel the voice in her mind getting stronger.

He'll know about Rick. You NEED to know about Rick.

So as the Governor shoved the hood back on his head and led the strange man and Merle out of the amphitheater with promises of an execution in the days to follow, Lexi retreated back into her mind and began to formulate a plan. However slim the chance may be, Caitlyn's future depended on it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

-Daryl-

He tried to count the steps as they dragged him from the arena but the pounding headache he'd gotten from the men kicking the shit out of him when they first cornered him made it almost impossible. They had to have walked to blocks at least, but as far as he could tell with his head still covered they were still inside the walls of the compound.

How big is this fucking place anyway?

Finally the men dragging him stopped, and he heard the sound of a door unlocking. As they began to lead him up a flight of stairs, he knew for sure that they wouldn't be keeping him in the same place as Glenn and Maggie.

Well it looks like I'm shit outta luck, he thought, knowing that his chances of being successfully rescued were far greater if Rick actually knew where he was being kept. The thought made his heart race as he realized that they could be setting a trap in the old warehouse. He almost stopped dead at the thought, but the man behind him on the stairs gave him a bodily shove and he shuffled forward, silently hoping that Rick wouldn't be stupid enough to risk another assault on the compound. He'd seen Oscar go down before Rick jumped the fence, and he knew without the two of them the group couldn't risk to lose more men.

I'm fucked anyway. He thought remembering the hatred in the eyes of the villagers and the Governor's promise of an execution.

They finally stopped climbing and led him through a crowded room. He could feel the metal shelves on his left shoulder as he occasionally intentionally stepped out of line, using any opportunity to get a better sense of his surroundings. After about twenty paces he heard the man in front open a door and he was pushed through.

His escort pulled him to the ground and began to strap his back to what felt like a radiator. Daryl was sure another beating was in order but apart from a kick to the ribs that he earned after shouting "Fuck you!" as they bound his feet together he was left fairly unmolested.

Although he was fuming, he resisted the urge to curse them out further as he heard them begin to leave, focusing instead on the sounds of their footsteps as they closed the door.

Two left, one stayed. He thought to himself, still summing up his odds despite his growing pessimism. Either they didn't think he was much of a threat, or their attack had left too many of their men dead and injured to leave a proper guard.

The thought of the latter possibility brought a smirk to Daryl's face even under the hood.

Good. he thought, once again picturing the arena, I hope all those cheering fuckers die.

-Lexi-

She watched them drag the prisoner along for long enough to watch them push him through the door of the old general store in the center of town before turning to go back to her apartment. This was going to be tough. Of all the buildings in Woodberry, the General store was one of the largest. It has four stories, with the upper two serving as a storage space for supplies. Shelves that had once held everything from Barbies to Playboys, now held Woodberry's supply rations. With only two entrances and lots of places for guards to hide, it was not the ideal location for a rescue.

At least we'll have ammo if it comes to that. She thought wryly as she opened the door to her apartment. Caitlyn sat curled up on the couch in the living room knitting. Lexi remembered her saying that she had discovered it as a stress reliever senior year of undergrad, but she found it hard to believe. When she moved in Cait was only in her first year of her Physicians Assistant program, but she was already making full sweaters in her spare time.

Watching her knit in the the light from fire place, Lexi could almost believe for a moment that they were still living in a world before the disease. That had always been the attraction of Woodberry, that and the recovery Caitlyn had begun to make when they first arrived. As Lexi stood watching, Caitlyn shifted, spreading her legs out along the sofa. The simple move put an end to Lexi's reminiscing, as she was painfully reminded of the changes to Cait's body that had begun to take place.

No, if there was a place for Cait in this new world, it would have to be with Rick. More determined than ever, she turned from the living room and started to prepare.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

-Lexi-

Three hours later Lexi crept out of her house armed as well as she could manage and began to make her way towards the general store.

After the incident with Merle, the Governor, not wanting the reputation of his best lieutenant soiled, had instructed the infirmary to give Lexi access to whatever she needed to manage Caitlyn's new break. With the exception of a few terrible times, Lexi had been able to limit it to the occasional Zanex. But after deciding to go for the prisoner Lexi realized sedatives might be her best shot. She had walked straight in and convinced Doc Lewis that the gun shots had set off another of Caitlyn's episodes.

Overwhelmed by the number of gun shot victims crowding her operating room, the doc hadn't hesitated to wave Lexi on, giving her free reign of the back room. She'd left ten minutes later, guiltily hiding five of the six syringes under her wind breaker and carrying a bottle of Zanex. Lexi had always liked the Doc for everything she'd done for Caitlyn, but this was their only chance.

Armed with her sedatives and two kitchen knives she quietly opened the door to the  
general store, praying that luck was on her side.

Mercifully, the bottom three floors of the store were completely abandoned. She had had a feeling from the moment she saw them drag him into the store that he'd be kept in he attic office. With the number of men she'd seen in the infirmary she would be surprised if they had enough people to spare from the wall to provide even one guard overnight. Despite her uncertainty, she knew she couldn't climb the last staircase without finding out.

Standing at the bottom of the staircase to the attic, she stood clutching an open syringe in one hand and a light bulb in the other. Hoping the noise would be enough to draw down any guard that was stationed by the prisoner, but not enough to raise a general alarm, Lexi stretched out her trembling arm. Knowing that after this there would be no turning back she exhaled, and dropped the bulb.

-Daryl-

The tinkling of breaking glass woke him from the stupor he'd allowed himself to slip into after three hours of being tied up to the radiator. His entire body ached, and the press of the cold metal at his back did nothing to help, but with the faint sound all drowsiness and thoughts of his own discomfort vanished.

He heard the guard on the other side of the door rise and begin to walk the length of the crowded room outside his. just as he had before he counted out approximately twenty steps before he heard the man begin to lumber down the stairs. Inwardly he cursed himself for falling into a stupor in the first place. Had he been paying fucking attention, he might have heard whatever, or whoever it was that broke the glass approaching downstairs. As it was, he was left straining his ears listening as his captor reached the bottom stair and the platform below.

He heard the further crunching of glass, and then what sounded like a muffled gasp. Something hard hit the floor below. For a moment there was complete silence and then he heard the faint sound of something heavy being slowly dragged along the ground.

Am I being rescued? he thought with amazement. While a rescue seemed to be his only chance of survival, the uncertainty surrounding the chain of events that was unfolding was too substantial for him to feel anything but overwhelming suspicion. There was no way the group had made back to the prison and back into the compound in three hours. Glenn was badly beaten, and needed medical treatment, so hanging around and doubling back wouldn't have been an option either.

Besides, of 'em can stay quiet worth a damn, Daryl thought, straining his ears again as he heard a faint creaking coming from the stairs once again. Someone was definitely out there, and moving a hell of a lot quieter than his jailer had minutes before.

Merle can be quiet when he wants to be, he reasoned with himself. Still he doubted his brother would have dispatched one of the henchmen who'd turned on him without getting a final word in. Not gloating simply wasn't Merle's style.  
Who the fuck is it? His mystery rescuer had reached the top of the stairs now, and was making their was through the crowded room. The hunter in him began to count, even as his chest began to tighten with adrenalin.

One, two, three...

Maybe it was that crazy black chick? The one who'd brought them here? Still, why the fuck would she agree to fly solo on a rescue mission for him? Whoever this was the were definitely alone, at least within the building.

Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...

The anticipation was killing him. Whoever the fuck it was they were taking their sweet ass time. Finally he heard the sound of something sliding between the door and the doorframe, the distinct click of a successfully picked lock, and the rusty turn of the old door knob. As he heard the door creak open and felt the breeze of cooler air from the hallway enter his prison, he could bare it no longer.

"Who the fuck's there?!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

-Lexi-

She almost turned tail and fled as the prisoner yelled out at her in the semi-darkness. Even seated under the dusty window with his torso bound to the radiator and a sack over his head he still intimidated her. Though his arms were tied uselessly in front of him, his sleeveless leather vest revealed bulging biceps and rounded muscular shoulders. She'd learned the hard way from sparring with her brother not to underestimate the strength of arms like these.

But I need him to get to Rick.

She shut he door behind her softly, and mustering up all the nerve she had in her crossed the room and crouched down beside him.

-Daryl-

Daryl's senses were on fire as his mystery rescuer moved to kneel next to him. They...she? smelled like honey and spices he'd never be able to name. Chilled as he was he could almost feel the warmth radiating off their body and washing over his exposed left shoulder.

Then his hood was being lifted off, and a small soft hand shot out to cover his mouth.

He turned his head furiously, staring into a pair of gigantic green eyes, only inches from his own. These weren't the green eyes of some fucking Disney princess, shining like gemstones and proclaiming the owner regal and precious. No, these were the eyes of an untamed feline, moss green and streaked with lines of bronze and gold, looking more like a bijou at sunset than a pair of Emeralds.

For a moment they held him transfixed, until shaking himself, he began to assess the rest to his rescuers appearance. Though it was hard to tell with her crouching, she appeared to be of medium height. She was wearing black compression leggings that cut off mid calf and a black wife beater with a gray wind breaker tied around her waste. She was tanner than average, with a toned athletic physique, and long curling black hair that was swept up in a ponytail.

She looked better suited for track practice than a search and rescue mission during a zombie apocalypse, And he could feel his mouth twisting into a sneer at the sight of her. But as he began to dismiss her in his mind, she shifted her weight revealing two knives, a collection of syringes, and a Glock 22 he strongly suspected she'd just taken off the body of his former jailer.

Seeing him assess her with his eyes, she narrowed hers, and set her jaw in a way that set off bells of recognition in his mind.

Who the fuck was she?

Try as he might he couldn't place her. So he continued to shoot daggers at her with his eyes, hoping that she took it to mean "Talk, bitch," but didn't struggle against her farce of a gag.

Finally, seeming to get the message, she leaned in, bringing her cat eyes even closer to his piercing blue ones and began to whisper under her breath.

"I need you to take me to Rick Grimes."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

-Lexi-

Whatever this Dixon brother had been expecting her to say, this clearly wasn't it. Lexi was lucky for it too, in his moment of surprise the man's eyes revealed more than he ever would have otherwise, narrowing and refocusing on her as if he was literally trying to peer into her soul. The effect made her shiver, but in that instant she knew. Rick's name meant something to this man. Her instinct had been right.

Elated by her victory, she lifted her hand ever so slightly off his mouth, naively hoping that Rick's name might be enough to convince him that she could be trusted.

"I dunno who you're talkin bout, bitch." he spat out the moment her hand moved.

Her eyes narrowed in annoyance at his response.

"They'll kill you, if you don't escape with me. And I'm not taking you anywhere unless you take me to Rick," she said slowly, trying to put force behind her words like her brother always did when he was getting something out of someone.  
Her tone made the man's eyes narrow again, although she suspected it was less out of fear than she would have liked. He was looking her up and down again, as if trying to place her in his mind.

"I ain't bringing one of the Governor's whores back to my group so she can bring all these fuckers down on my people. I'm dead either way, so fuck off!" he growled, straining against his bonds as if to show her he meant business.

Lexi recoiled slightly, frustrated but undeterred. He had a point, this sort of thing would be just like the Governor to pull. But she needed him to bring them there. If she didn't know where they were going bringing Caitlyn outside the wall would be effectively be sentencing her to death. She hated to have to take this risk, especially with the brother of Merle Dixon, as far as she could tell it was her only way forward.

Sighing, she pulled out her knife and cut the restraints tying him to the radiator.

-Daryl-

He'd twitched in spite of himself as she brought the 12 inch kitchen knife to his side, hating himself for it as she cut his bonds innocently. When's he was done, she moved in even closer than before, staring him down with those strange eyes of hers.

"If I show you proof that we are friends of Rick's will you take us to him?" she said, slowly lifting the knife to point at him.

'Us?' He thought, staring her down again. He wasn't sure who she meant by it, but he was beginning to realize this may be his only chance at survival. He didn't like it at all, but summing up his options he decided that for now, he'd play her game.

"Depends on what you've got to show," he shot back, though in a slightly gentler tone than he'd used before.

Her eyes widened and narrowed again, and he realized with mortification that she'd taken his comment as innuendo.

"ain't what I meant. Christ." he mumbled hating the blush that began creeping up his face.

Eyes narrowing again, she shifted slowly, and came to kneel down by his outstretched legs. She leaned in slowly, as if punishing him for his perceived innuendo and began to cut the bonds wrapped around his lower body, finally finishing with his wrists that lay tied in his lap.

He at there, frozen stiff by he soft touches as she moved up his legs. When at  
avast he was unbound he pushed away from her, anxious to get distance and infuriated be the effect her plutonic contact had wrecked on his nerves.  
She leapt to her feet and came around to face him, putting herself in between him and the door, knife outstretched.

"If I can prove we know Rick you'll take us?" she repeated, half ordering half pleading with him.

Infuriated by the situation he found himself in, but unsure of what else to do, Daryl slowly nodded.

"Fine, just get me the fuck outta here."


	6. Chapter 6

**Just published today and already two followers! Thanks so much foa your support and kind reviews! I'll keep posting throughout the day!**

Chapter 6

-Lexi-

They crept silently through the attic storage room and down the stairs to the third floor. On seeing the guard lying by the foot of the stairs the Dixon brother moved to stomp on his head. Horrified, Lexi grabbed him bodily and shoved him against the wall, pinning him with her body.

"What the HELL are you doing?" she asked in a furious whisper.

"Destroying his brain," he whispered back almost bashfully, "don't want him changing and sneaking up on us 'fore we get out."

"He's not dead!" She responded, moving away from him slightly to gesture to the syringes strapped to her left hip.

"Whatever, let's just fucking go," he said pulling away and stalking towards the next flight of stairs. If she hadn't known any better, Lexi would have sworn she saw him shake himself, as if to get the feeling of her touching him off his skin.

He paused, peering out at the rows and rows of supplies that filled the third floor. Without turning to look at Lexi for permission, he headed down one of the rows. Furious at his presumption, she had after all JUST saved his life, she hurried after him.

"What the fuck, we gotta go!" she whispered, as he grabbed a backpack and began filling it with supplies.

"Fuck that, I ain't going out their naked. Ain't tryna escape just to get eaten by some fucking walkers."

Angrily, Lexi had to admit that he had a point. While she had hurried to pack the essentials for her and Caitlyn, the kitchen knives and the gun she'd stolen from the guard were all she had to defend them from walkers. Against them, her syringes would mean nothing.

"Fine, hurry up though, we've only got two hours or so before dawn." she said, grabbing a backpack and beginning to gather things herself. He nodded in response and handed her two boxes of .40 cal rounds.

She took them eying him warily. She hadn't realized he'd seen the gun she'd tucked into the small of her back, and was even more frustrated that he'd gotten a good enough look to identify it as a .40 cal. This was a man who didn't miss anything she realized, cautioning herself mentally to stay on her guard around him. She grabbed two extra mags and a particularly ominous looking hatchet, and zipped her bag shut. Looking up at him once again.

She glanced up just in time to see his eyes lock onto something in the next aisle over. For the first time since she'd met him, she saw his lips curl up in a smile. 'God he is good-looking,' she thought in spite of every rational part of her brain screaming at her to look away.

He strode into the other aisle, crouching down to pick up a crossbow. Slinging her bag over her shoulder she followed, arriving in time to see the almost tender look in his eyes as he loaded it and stashed arrows in his bag, before standing up and putting his angry facade back on.

"I'm ready. Let's go," he said, and silently he followed her down the three flights remaining of stairs, only pausing when they reached the ground floor.

She reached behind her in the darkness, grabbing his wrist and pulling him wordlessly towards the back door. He recoiled immediately, and she turned to see him shooting daggers at her with his eyes once more.

'Jesus, what's his deal.' she thought, as she waved him behind her instead. Once in the back alley she started to jog quietly back towards her townhouse. She could feel her heart pounding with adrenalin as they made their way to her street finally arriving at the end of the alley, just across from her townhouse.

She had stood here hours earlier, willing herself to run the same twenty yards, when she had seen Rick and her life had turned upside down. Silently praying that no one from the nearby wall saw them crossing the street, she reached back, squeezed his hand to tell him to follow, and sprinted from their front door.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

-Daryl-  
'Crazy bitch is going to get me killed,' he thought to himself as they sprinted across the dark street.

She ripped open the door to a two story townhouse and pulled him inside shutting the door behind him. She leaned with her back against the door for a moment breathing heavily, although he was sure it was more fear than from exertion. Looking at her lithe body in the moonlight he knew she, at least, would not slow him down on the trek back to the prison.

The thought reminded him suddenly that he had not actually agreed to take her yet, though he'd been planning their escape together since they gathered supplies in the general store. Unwilling to lose face her straightened and stepped towards her once more.

"Wanna see that proof now." he growled down at her.

Sighing heavily, she looked up at him through her dark lashes, and reluctantly pushed her self away from the door and walked into the next room. He followed cautiously, his eyes darting back and forth surveying everything. It was a small but cozy living room, a few books lay scattered on the coffee table next to what appeared to be half way finished scarf and a ball of yarn. He smirked at the idea of this girl knitting... Somehow it didn't seem remotely possible.

She waved a hand at the couch and whispered "Wait here," but when Daryl made no move to sit but shot her a contemptuous look instead, she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Fine, stay standing, but stay here, I've got to get my photo album and I don't want you in my bedroom."

Her statement made him blush angrily, but he just muttered "whatever," and stayed where he was. 'Never asked to go in her bedroom anyway,' he thought, annoyed with himself for the shadow of disappointment he felt at her implied rejection.

A minute later she emerged, hugging a worn leather photo album to her chest. The thing looked like it'd been to hell and back, and thinking back on the months since the outbreak, Daryl reckoned it probably had. He smirked remembering something Rick had said once, "Only a woman would think to grab photos during an apocalypse," thinking to himself how true it was. Not that there'd been any photo albums in the Dixon house anyway.

She flipped it open unceremoniously and held it out for his inspection.

His eyes locked on the biggest picture on the page. Just as she'd promised, at the center stood Rick and Laurie beaming happily, decked out in wedding attire. He knew Laurie had been pregnant with Carl at the time, but apart from looking slightly less twiggy than usual, it was impossible for him to tell. To her right stood a teenage girl with auburn hair and freckles, smiling almost as brightly as the happy couple. Although Rick had never talked about having one, he knew instantly that this was Rick's sister- her eyes were the same unmistakable shade of blue.

To Ricks left stood Shane, grinning with genuine happiness. Daryl had never imagined a time when Shane could seem tender, but there he was, eternally frozen in film, with his arms wrapped protectively around the pretty preteen flower girl with thick dark curls and wild green eyes.

'Oh Fuck.' he thought, looking up from the picture to meet the same green eyes, now staring at him impatiently.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

-Lexi-

She hadn't meant to open it to this page when she'd angrily thrust the photo album at Merle's brother. She just wanted his agreement so they could leave before they were caught, but now she glanced down at the picture she was studying carefully and painful emotion threatened to overtake her.

This was one of the last pictures taken of her and Shane before things between them changed. Eleven years her senior, and uncompromisingly masculine, Shane had desperately wanted a baby brother. Their good for nothing father had come around again just long enough to get their mom pregnant before skipping town again, leaving Shane as the "man of the house" before he was five feet tall. Still, despite her foolishness when it came to their dad, they're mom had been a smart and capable woman, and her childhood had been a comfortable one. Shane had treated her as if she was the the brother he'd always hoped for, and for the first ten years of her life she'd been "Alex" and sports and shooting with her brother had been her life's passion.

But when she was eleven her mother's weakness for men reared its ugly head again. This time, in addition to being a useless sack of shit, he'd been a boozer and a hitter. To this day, she still didn't know if her mom had drunkenly fallen down the stairs and broken her neck, or if that son of a bitch had pushed her. She didn't know which she'd prefer to be the truth either.

Shane had flown off the handle then, beating her mother's boyfriend almost to death. The only thing that kept him out of jail was the intervention of Rick, who'd joined the police force the year before. Although Shane had spent his entire childhood as a benign trouble-maker, at Rick's urging he decided to go to the police academy two months later.

They'd both known that he couldn't take care of her, he was only 22 and immature for his age at that, but to Alex Shane's leaving was tantamount to outright abandonment. She moved in with her aunt who lived in the next town over, and began to transition into adulthood with a heavy heart.

By the time Shane graduated from the Academy, she was already well on her way to becoming a young woman. She was no longer the scrawny athletic kid he pretended to pass off as a kid brother. He saw that she had become womanly and beautiful, and in Shane's mind that made her a potential victim like their mother. Where there had once been mischievous camaraderie now there was only authoritarian protectiveness. So when Laurie and Caitlyn started calling her Lexi in the tenth grade, she adopted the new identity in stride. Alex, and her world, was as dead as their mother.

"Not even sure if that's fuckin you but I guess it'll do."

His words put an end to her reminiscing and Lexi was back in her living room, standing with the brother of a man she hated, yards from where Caitlyn slept, broken and weak. She had no time for a jaunt down memory lane, so she ignored his rude comment and shut the album with a snap.

"So you'll take us?" she said, getting back to the business at hand.

"His eyes narrowed again. "That depends... Who's the 'us'?"

Knowing that she could put it off no longer she returned to the other room without a word.

-Daryl-

he watched her leave wondering what she had been thinking buyout the moment before. The fact that She was kin to Shane made her dangerous, there was no doubt about that but he still felt he that it was Rick's call to make. Plus, she had saved his life, and there was very little chance she'd survive here if he left without her.

"Wake up Caitlyn, come on Caitie get up," he heard her coo softly. 'Oh no,' he thought, 'not another fucking kid.'

He heard a rustling and the sound of someone rising from a bed and walking towards the door.

"CAITIE! No sweetheart not yet. Put this on."

Seconds later his rescuer emerged again, followed by a sleepy looking woman with auburn hair and familiar blue eyes wearing pajamas and an oversized Emory hoodie.

"Caitie, this is Rick's friend from the station. He's gonna bring us to go see Rick." she explained quietly, refusing to meet Daryl's eyes.

Upon hearing the explanation, the older woman beamed at him with understanding in her eyes.

"Thank you so much for your trouble, Officer...?"

"...uh just Daryl ma'am."

"Daryl," she repeated smiling. "Well thank you so much Officer Daryl, for coming to get Lexi and I. It was awful nice of you to give my brother a helping hand."


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks so much for your feedback on what I put up yesterday! This chapter has been one of my favorites to write so far. Let me know what you think! Do you think it would have gone down this way? **

Chapter 9

-Lexi-

Lexi held her breath as Caitlyn thanked Merle's "officer" brother- whose name was apparently Daryl- and the reality of her friend's insanity became clear. She watched his piercing blue eyes reassess the situation as the news sunk in with him.

"it's nuthin," he said finally to Caitlyn, turning from her as if embarrassed, "just grab your stuff and let's go."

Five minutes later they left the house and were once again sneaking towards the wall. Although she knew it was often guarded, Lexi led them through the Woodberry parking lot. it was a small car park located behind the old bank with only ten or so spaces on each side of the one-way center lane. The wall cut across where the exit had once been, so now they relied on backing out and three way turns.

They were lucky, tonight no one stood on guard. As she crept up to the first car she felt course fingertips on her shoulder blade, sending tingles down her spine. She whipped around to see Daryl press a finger to his lips and then motion to the car. Flipping out a switchblade that he'd stolen from the store, he drove it into the car's front right tire. Taking the hint, Lexi pulled out the knife at her side, motioned at Caitie to keep quiet, and slashed the tire nearest her.

They made their way down the center lane of the parking lot taking out as many tires as they could. Although she felt slightly guilty about damaging Woodberry's cars, after all they had taken her and Caitie in, she reasoned with herself that half the wall was made of tires, so this would only really slow their pursuit.

They were nearing the last two cars when they heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps.

-Andrea-

She'd been walking back to her apartment from the Governor's room in a rage when she first saw them sprint across the street. She knew he was mad with grief about losing his walker daughter, but as usual, she couldn't help herself. She needed fucking answers. She'd slept in that room with him for week, with a fucking walker barely constrained in a closet 15 feet away?

Her safe haven was crumbling and she knew it. She'd tried to convince herself that Daryl had left the group, joined up with a group of ruthless thugs and it attacked Woodberry with them but she knew it wasn't true. While she couldn't be sure how much of her original group was left after all these months, she knew that Michonne wouldn't have coordinated with just anyone.

It was them, and they would never attack Woodberry without a reason. Even if Rick had died and Shane was leading now, he'd never risk their numbers like that for supplies.

The sound of footsteps dragged her away from her thoughts and back into the present. Battle hardened from her months on the run with Michonne, Andrea dropped to the ground noiselessly. For a moment she saw nothing. She was about to push herself up again when a female figure sprinted across the street and up the steps of a townhouse,  
closely followed by a tall man with a crossbow slung over his shoulder.

'Daryl' she thought, her heart thudding against her chest.

She waited what seemed like at eternity before they reemerged this time with another woman. She knew for sure now, the first person must have been Lexi. But why the hell was that bitch helping Daryl?

Andrea had always found something annoying about the younger woman, although in truth she knew it was mostly jealously. The Governor had assigned the brunette to guard duty on the wall and she had refused outright. Andrea had overheard it all from their bedroom, as the uppity little bitch had straight up refused to leave her friend at night, in an almost accusatory tone as if he was trying to hurt the quite redhead.

Andrea thought she must be delusional to think that keeping her friend company at night was better for their safety than pulling guard duty. I mean did she have any fucking clue how the world worked now-a-days?

But as she watched her led the trio down the road towards the parking lot Andrea reassessed her original opinion. No, Lexi was not some naive Woodberry miss after all. She knew exactly what she was doing. Andrea realized it made her even more jealous than before seeing the way Daryl deferred to her.

In all the months since the outbreak, Andrea realized the only person who'd respected her on that level was Michonne. The thought made her heartache. After tonight's encounter, she knew their friendship was done forever. There was no going back.

But she knew that Michonne was still out there, injured from her fight with the Governor, and almost certainly with the group Daryl and the two women were trying to reach. The group needed Daryl. Michonne would need Daryl.

Making up her mind, she pushed herself up off the ground and made her way to the parking lot.

As soon as she stepped into the parking lot they were on her, Lexi with her knife to her throat and Daryl with his crossbow drawn. Even through her fear and annoyance Andrea marveled at the team they made.

"Andrea?" he whispered, lowering his bow an inch or so. She saw him glance behind her at Lexi and mutter "Relax" and she felt the cold steel of the knife move away from her jugular.

"Eleven men were killed in the attack and five more are wounded in the infirmary. Even so you'll need a distraction to get out of here without being seen. Don't bother trying to go on foot the walkers have swarmed because of the gunfire earlier, it'd be as good as suicide. Wait until you hear my signal than drive like hell straight outta here."

For a moment Daryl just stared at her, then he said slowly, "You ain't coming with us?"

a sad smile crept over her face as she shook her head. "This is my place now. This is the last time I can help you guys."

He nodded, lowering his crossbow completely and muttered "Thanks," still too awkward to handle a proper goodbye. She could tell Lexi didn't like it, but as he jerked his head towards the black Grand Cherokee at the end of the lot she moved away from Andrea, took the redhead by the hand and started walking towards the car.

At that Andrea turned to go, determined to give them a fighting chance by calling attention to the other side of Woodberry.

"Hey Andrea."

She turned back at his call, to see him pulling a compact Sig Sauer off his belt. Clicking the safety on, he tossed it to her. For a moment they locked eyes and smiled, remembering better days together at the farm. Then she turned and ran off into the night, going ten blocks before firing off four shots. Satisfied by the sound of footsteps coming running her way, she stashed the gun, opened the door to her apartment and did her best to look concerned as the citizens of Woodberry came to investigate.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

-Daryl-

The three of them sat together silently in the car until they heard the shots in the distance. Daryl watched as three armed men went running past the parking lot, then connected the wires he'd pulled out of the dashboard and the car revved to life.

"There's usually four men on guard at the front gate, " Lexi whispered from the passenger's seat next to him, "And they keep the doors shut with a metal rod. They're too thick for us to just drive through."

"Switch with me," he grunted scowling, "but don't drive like no pansy bitch, someone comes in fronna you, you speed the fuck up."

They quickly climbed over each other to switch places, though not quickly enough for him not to notice her ass brushing against his crotch as she slid into the driver's seat.

'Fuckin Shane-ette over here is bad news' he thought for what must've been the twentieth time since he'd seen that photo.

As soon as she was settled threw the car in drive and ripped out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. He glanced over at her surprised but impressed and then stared on ahead as the quickly approaching front gate.

She was right, there was no way they could just drive through it, and there was still a lone guard waiting out front. Pulling out his crossbow, Daryl hit the man straight in the head and he crumpled to the ground.

"Stop five yards from the gate. Keep it I'm drive he barked," and without argument she did as he said screeching to a halt. He threw open the passengers side door and sprinted to the gate, wrenching the bar off and swinging open the left hand gate before darting back in the car.

"You just gotta gun it no matter what," he said getting back in the car, wondering if she was in store for what lay beyond the wall. He'd heard their moans as he unlocked the gate, and he knew how loud the town had been that night- this was going to be a gruesome ride. She slammed on the gas just as gun shots started to ring out behind them, and sped headlong into the walkers that were starting to come through the door.

"Lexi!" he heard the woman in the back shriek as the bodies began to bounce off the car.

'Rick's crazy fuck sister better not do something stupid.' he thought as he looked back into her terrified eyes. 'How the fuck had they survived this long?'

"Caitie!" Lexi said sharply, not taking her eyes off the road or slowing down for a second. "Caitie, what's the song you and Ian are dancing your first dance to? What is it, do you remember?"

Clearly distressed, Caitlyn started to protest "But Lex, all these people..."

"_Stars shining bright above you_..." Lexi began to sing, still plowing over walkers with her eyes locked on the road.

'This girl is batshit,' Daryl thought, whipping his head around at he heard another car tear out of the gates of Woodberry. He watched at the punctured front tires blew out completely, and sparks began to fly as the hubcaps ground against the asphalt.

"_Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you..."_

Caitlyn was beginning to calm down, while behind her the car following them had ground to a stop and was being overrun by walkers. He could hear the screams of the men inside, and scowled in disgust at the thought. Enemies or not, he wouldn't wish that death on anyone.

Part of him knew that there wouldn't be another car sent after them for a while. With the deaths of the men in the car, the man at the gate, and the eleven Andrea had told him about earlier, there was no way they could spare more people for a vengeance killing.

"_Birds singing in the Sycamore trees..."_

Plus, as they rounded a corner and Woodberry fell out of sight, he noted that no one had closed the gates yet. They'd have walkers to deal with I their stupid fucking paradise. But he wasn't angry anymore, and he didn't really wish death on all those people.

All he really felt now was exhaustion, washing over him as the adrenalin left his body. he heard Caitlyn's breathing in the back get deeper and saw the road ahead illuminated in the early dawn light was almost completely clear of walkers.

Yawning, he stretched out and leaned against the window, and glanced at Lexi who was still singing softly to Caitlyn in her husky alto, with he eyes fixed on the road ahead. He heard her finish just as his eyes shut in exhaustion.

"_Dream a little dream of me."_


	11. Chapter 11

**So this is a really long chapter for me and I know it sends some crazy messages but don't worry! This will eventually turn into a romance between Daryl and Lexi. I just didn't want it to be too simple. Also, warning, after this chapter things are going to get a bit dark. But lemme know what you think so far!**

Chapter 11

-Rick-

They had returned to the prison just as the sun was rising, exhausted and feeling defeated despite Glenn and Maggie's return. The loss of Daryl was devastating. Rick truly didn't know if they could survive it as a group. Of the two convicts, Oscar had been the only one Rick trusted. Now he was dead and he was stuck with Axel, who was at best a weak pair of hands, at worse a threat from within. Glenn would need at least a week to recover, maybe more if there were fractures beneath his bruising.

They had about two weeks before they'd need to find more formula, and as things stood now the only person able to go would be Michonne, who Rick had just grudgingly decided to welcome into their fold, more out of necessity than anything else.

With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he walked straight through their cell block as the others exchanged congregated around Glenn and Maggie, unable to face telling them about the loss of Daryl.

'Nothing is certain yet,' he reminded himself half heartedly. He could've had to take a different route out of Woodberry. If anyone could survive making it through the woods after getting separated from the group is was Daryl. He'd insisted on leaving a car for him just in case, turning away as he saw the sympathetic look coming from Maggie. Daryl had become his loadstone after Laurie had died, unobtrusively pulling him back on course without a word of judgement.

The weight of his concerns was finally overpowered by sheer exhaustion and for a few hours Rick fell into a fitful sleep. He woke around noon to the sound of raised voices.

"When my dad wakes up, I already told you."

"Listen kid, that ain't fucking cutting it-"

"Sasha! Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down Tyrese! We've got a body to bury and we're not animals!"

Rick jumped out of bed as his mind registered the presence of strangers. He strode out of his cell to see Carl arguing through the bars with a young African American woman, while a heavy set African American man attempted in vain to mediate.

"Carl!" He snapped, causing the boy to jump and turn.

"Dad! Look I was going to say something earlier but you just walked into your room-"

"Do you have any idea how dangerous other people can be? What the hell were you thinking, letting them see where we live?!"

"I know but I couldn't just let them die." he said looking down at the floor ashamed. Rick was about to fire back when he realized what Carl's shame meant. His thirteen year old was upset with himself for not being heartless enough to leave a group of people to die. He was ashamed of his humanity.

Realizing his mistake Rick reached out towards his young son and exhaled, searching for the right words.

"Carl-" he began, but was cut off as Maggie sprinted into the block.

"RICK! Rick! There's a car approaching the gate."

-Lexi-

Her nerves had been fraying since she let Daryl take over driving an hour ago, but as the prison came into view her stomach started doing literal summersaults.

'You're being ridiculous,' she told herself as they turned onto the gravel road leading up to the prison. Not four hours ago she'd plowed over dozens of reanimated human corpses while fleeing the vengeance of her former townspeople. Facing Rick's disappointment over Caitlyn shouldn't even be a blip on the radar after last night.

But she'd been irrational when it came to Rick for years now. Shane's changing treatment towards her had not gone unnoticed by the Grimes family, and as he began to pull away Caitlyn and Laurie began taking her in more and more.

At first, Rick had just been her brother's nice friend, far less interesting than these cool and beautiful older women. But slowly it had shifted. Thinking back, she wasn't sure if it was really a crush at first or just jealously over the clear affection he showered over his wife and sister, but whatever it was it became a part of her reality in her early teens.

Obviously, it had been completely benign, he was the larger than life fully grown man she idolized from a far, but one day she had realized this was an unacceptable status quo.

She'd been away most of the summer, working as a counselor at a sleep away camp in the Smokey Mountains. Her naturally darker complexion had turned to deep bronze with the constant exposure to the sun, and in a moment of childish vanity she had decided to show off her tan with a cut of denim mini-skirt (all the rage back in 2007) and a white scoop neck clingy tee. Admittedly, it was not the most profound of fashion statements, but on her lithe young body the desired effect had been achieved regardless, and she set out to the Grimes' house feeling great about herself.

Caitlyn was still away in Louisiana, she'd spent the latter half of her summer volunteering with the Katrina relief efforts with Ian, the boyfriend she'd met earlier that year at Georgia Tech. Lexi missed her, things hadn't been the same since she left for college the previous fall, but as she let herself in the front door happily calling out a greeting to Laurie. Carl and another kid from his class were playing in the den, and after proudly announcing to Lexi that he would be starting kindergarten in only three weeks Carl had returned to his Hot Wheels, leaving the two women to talk in peace.

They'd been chatting and laughing together at the kitchen table for two hours when Rick came home from work.

"Babe look who it is! Back from a success first summer of work!" Laurie had said calling him into the kitchen where they sat.

"Alex! It's great to see you!" Rick said pulling her into an affectionate but brotherly hug.

"Rick," Laurie chastised, "We've been over this before. She's Lexi now. Lord the way you and Shane carry on you'd think you both thought she was still ten years old."

"No," he said looking her up and down, his face suddenly growing a little serious, "No I certainly don't think that.".

Lexi had flushed violently, thrilled and terrified that Rick had finally realized she was growing up. Then she glanced up at Laurie and saw that her smile had faltered slightly. Guilt washed over her, as she began to think realistically about what she'd been doing. Laurie was her friend for Christ's sake! And she'd dressed up, broken out her new 34D push up bra and everything, in an attempt to catch the attention of Laurie's husband? She left a half hour later, smiling as she went but internally hating herself. Shane was right. She was not a kid anymore. She needed to put space in between herself and Rick until the crush faded.

The car began to slow to a stop and she looked up, brought back to the present. There weren't many walkers around, but there were enough that they needed the gate in front of them opened or they'd be in trouble.

A badly bruised Asian man approached the gate cautiously, and behind him she could see a young woman running across the yard followed by Rick. Her stomach did another summersault.

'My God is that Carl behind him?' she thought as she watched an unkept preteen run to keep up with Rick, a pistol clutched in his young hands.

Something thumped against the back window of the car, and Lexi realized in horror that the first walker had reached their car.

"Fuckin' A" Daryl muttered, throwing the car in reverse violently and backing over the walker.

"Glenn let us the fuck in!" he screamed, rolling the window down just enough for his voice to travel outside the car.

Hearing Daryl the young man jumped into action, and began to unlock the gate, as Carl and the young woman began banging on the fence to draw the walkers away. They sped into the open gate, and screeched to a halt right in front of Rick, who was staring into the car trying to get a look at the passengers.

'This is it,' she thought unbuckling slowly.

Had she not been so preoccupied she might've anticipated it, but while Lexi was stalling to put off the inevitable, Caitlyn held no such reservations. Flinging open the back door, the 27 year old woman leapt out the back door joyously, and flung herself into the surprised arms of her older brother.

"Ricky!" she cried beaming up at him. "But God you look warn down! You need to have a talk with Mike, just because he's Sheriff now doesn't mean he can work you to the bone. Good lord. How many hours do they have you working? I know you're probably putting in for all that overtime, but you should really give yourself more time off."

Confused he stared down at his sister, and then his eyes shot up, and locked onto Lexi as she emerged from the car. For the first time in her life she saw a strange emotion flash across them, if she didn't know any better she'd have sworn it was hate.

"You."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

-Daryl-

"Rick it's so good to-" Lexi began, reaching out to embrace Rick shyly, but the words died in her throat upon seeing his face.

Carl, who had been hugging his Aunt Cait with a look of confusion and sympathy on his young face looked up at his dad with alarm. He left his aunt's arms and began to move towards Lexi, a genuine smile on his face at the slight of her.

"Hey Lexi..." he said almost bashfully reaching out for a hug, but Rick through his arm in between them, escalating the tension that was already starting to build.

'This is gonna be bad.' Daryl thought moving around from the driver's side of the car to stand beside Lexi. Rick was his partner, and he trusted him implicitly, but Daryl knew in his heart that their leader was still too broken from Lori's death to make decisions on his own.

"What happened to her." Rick growled, leaning down over a clearly bewildered Lexi.

'He doesn't even see her,' Daryl realized as he watched Rick's eyes grow more and more crazed. 'All he can see is Shane.'

"She hasn't been right since I found her in the hospital... I got there as soon as I heard they'd deployed the Guard there... One of the nurses told me she'd run after them in the halls pleading with them not to shoot her patients for 20 minutes before remembering that Ian was still in the trauma ward... She was still trying to resuscitate him when I got there..." Lexi explained quietly, her eyes filling with tears.

"Rick I am so sorry, I've done the best I can." she pleaded, reaching out for him again. But rather than accept her explanation he sank deeper into his delusion, grabbing her wrist and twisting her arm down painfully.

"Rick what is wrong with you!" she said her eyes searching his face. The hurt in her voice was killing Daryl. He'd heard that tone in his father's girlfriends' voices before, the first time he'd hit them. He didn't know what was worse, the sound of the pain, fear and surprise in their voices, or the fact that by the third time it happened it always went away.

"Rick! Have you lost your mind! What the hell are you doing? Shane would kill you if he saw you pulling Lexi around like that!" Caitlyn yelled, pushing her brother bodily away from her friend, accusation and anger lining her pretty face. At the mention of Shane's name Daryl noticed Glenn and Maggie glance at Lexi suspiciously, but luckily she was too overwhelmed with Rick's behavior to notice. Things were bad enough without bringing her brother's death into the conversation.

His sister's shove had affected Rick, but as Daryl saw his eyes dart around wildly he realized it hadn't been for the best. Rick was staring down his unhinged sister, who despite her clear departure from reality still seemed to be a force to be reckoned with. Something in his stare though made Daryl uneasy. He wasn't looking at her face but seemed to be trying to stare a hole through the oversized Emory hoodie she still wore over her pajamas.

" Caitlyn, give me your sweatshirt." he ordered.

"What? Rick what is wrong with you? Honestly what's happened to you?" she said alarm pouring from her blazing blue eyes.

"Your sweatshirt Cait. Now."

Still looking at her older brother with concern, the younger Grimes' sibling, reached for her sweatshirt pulling it over her head with an exasperated sigh. Daryl glanced sideways at Lexi and found her paralyzed with fear, unable to stop the events that were playing out before her.

"There," Caitlyn said balling the hoodie up and tossing it at her brother, "Although I don't see why it's so important to you. God Rick the way you're carrying on you'd think something was seriously wrong."

Daryl watched Lexi's eyes fall to the ground and moved between her and Rick the second before he lunged. Catching him in a headlock Daryl lowered his friend to the ground, speaking under his breath almost tenderly in an attempt to calm the older man. After everything he'd been through, an insane AND pregnant sister was just more than he could handle.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews! FanFicGirl10 and Emberka-2012 you guys both asked if he hated her because of something in the past or because she's Shane's sister. I'm writing it as if he just kind of snapped at the sight of Caitlyns insanity coupled with a physical reminder of Shane. He kind of attacked Glenn in the show after Lori died when he was in a rage, so I thought it wasn't too much of a stretch. He doesn't _actually_ hate her though, which you should start to see in the next few chapters. Hope you like it!**

**Also, just a warning for the feint of heart, this chapter is the beginning of the smut and adult themes (abuse/violence) that earned the story and M rating, so consider yourselves warned!**

Chapter 13

-Lexi-

Lexi remained sitting in the grass staring into space long after they brought Rick inside. A kind looking girl named Beth came for Caitlyn a few minutes later, assuring Lexi that she'd be alright before leading her to her father who planned on examining her swollen belly to see how she was progressing.

Lexi knew that she should go win her, but Caitlyn was fairly lucid at the time and the thought of facing Rick again was too much for Lexi to bare.

Rick had laid a hand on her. He would have done more if Daryl hadn't caught him. After realizing Caitlyn was pregnant he just flew at her, arms outstretched as if he'd ring her neck if he got the opportunity. Rick? She just couldn't understand.

Lexi had been roughed up by a man only one other time in her life. After the incident at the Grimes' house, Lexi successfully put distance between herself and the Grimes family. With Caitlyn off at school and Lori kept busy by Carl it wasn't difficult to find excuses not to frequent the house.

She decided pointedly that she needed to get over Rick, and needed to start giving boys her own age the time of day. The teenage population of King County was more than happy to oblige her, and by the middle of Junior year she'd been on a string of dates.

Eventually she caught the attention of Jonah Stokes, the senior football star, who had made the town immensely proud by getting drafted to play at Clemson. Some of the diehard Bulldogs fans were even thinking of switching allegiances, and in some of the shops on main street you could still see the orange and purple paw prints they'd hung in support.

So when he asked her to winter formal she'd accepted without question, as in awe of him as everyone else. They had a good time, and he was incredibly charming, but when he brought her back his empty house rather than her own she had hesitated.

"Come on Lexi, I just want you to come in and have a few drinks. We just got the hot tub installed out back and everything."

So she'd followed him in against her better judgement, and after a few drinks they climbed into his hot tub together grinning drunkenly at their daring as the sat there in their underwear, steam pouring off their skin in the chilly night air. Less than an hour later he was carrying her back through the sliding glass door into the house, making out as they went, and laying her down on the soft living room carpet.

She was drunk; drunk from the whiskey, drunk from the heat of the jacuzzi, and drunk on his kisses and touch. She'd never had a boy touch her like that before, gently playing with her nipples through her soaking wet bra rather than simply grabbing hold of her boobs and squeezing. She'd wanted more of that, but didn't realize how far it had gone until he was on top of her, pushing his hard dick inside her as he muffled her cry of pain with his kiss.

When she got home the next day, hungover and disheveled, Shane was already there. The sight of her sent him into a worse rage than he'd already been in, infuriated beyond belief by the visible hickeys starting to show through on her neck. He'd smacked her across the face when she refused to tell him what happened. Then he'd grabbed her painfully by the jaw forcing her to face him as he questioned her again, slapping her across the cheek every time she declined to answer.

Rick had showed up then, hauling Shane off of her and shoving him forcefully into the other room. They'd had it out in there but eventually Shane stormed off, slamming the front door behind him and tearing out of the driveway in a rage.

Rick came back into the foyer where she was standing with an understanding look in his eyes.

"You ok Lex?" he said, pulling her into a hug. The embrace was enough to crack what little control she had left. She stood there crying into Rick's chest telling him everything as he gently stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth like a child.

"I didn't mean for it to go this far... I didn't mean for it to happen... I'm so so sorry." she sobbed at last, finishing her story.

He pulled her out of the embrace slightly, taking her by the shoulders and turning her so he could look her in the eye.

"Lexi, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm just glad your ok. Never be afraid to come to us ok? No matter what, we still love you. No matter what, I'll still love you."

His words echoed in her memory as she sat.

'Rick what have I done?' she thought miserably.

As the sun began Carl came out and sat down beside her leaning against her in silent support. The gesture brought tears to Lexi's eyes once again.

Her and Carl had been close when he was little, but last summer after Rick had been shot he had been shy around her at first when she came to stay with them. She'd just finished her first year of law school at Emory, and had already accepted an internship in DC when Rick was shot. Caitlyn had been about to quit her job at Emory hospital to help Lori out but Lexi had volunteered instead, knowing that without a steady job Caitlyn's PA school debt would threaten to overwhelm her financially.

Lori spent most of the summer in the hospital by Rick's bedside leaving Carl alone with Lexi for hours each day and the two soon grew extremely close. Lexi had marveled and worried at his strength, noticing how in many ways he cared for Lori rather than vice versa. It broke her heart all the more when he finally did breakdown and cry as she was leaving to return to Atlanta at the end of the summer. It had been the last time she saw any of them, Rick, Lori, Carl, and Shane before the outbreak hit in late September.

Shane. She wondered what had become of her brother with a heavy heart. Their relationship had been the strongest it had been since their mother's passing that summer. Lexi had known that he wanted to make peace, wanted to start building a relationship with the adult she had become, but a part of her had refused to let it happen.

The thought brought tears to her eyes again as she realized with certainty for the first time that now she would never get the chance. Although no one had told her, she knew he must have passed, he would never have left Carl, Rick and Lori.

"You can come in, Lex, if you wanna," Carl whispered finally.

"No thanks bud. I think I'm going to set up out here for the night. I'm still not ready to face your dad again quite yet," she said standing up and wiping the dirt off her pants absentmindedly.

"He's been... Different. Ever since mom..."

Lexi squeezed her eyes shut at the confirmation. She had told herself all day that Lori was inside with Rick, sharing his fury and disappointment in her for what had happened to Caitlyn, but a part of her had known that her friend couldn't be here. Lori would never have held this against her- hell, she still couldn't understand why Rick did.

She enveloped Carl in a hug, holding him tightly as if her embrace could somehow transfer all the affection she felt for the young boy into his heart.

He hugged her back, then broke the hug saying, "we've secured this whole yard but I'm still uncomfortable with you sleeping in the open just in case. We station someone at watch every night in that tower. You should stay there until you're ready to come inside. Carol will bring dinner out to you there in an hour."

Lexi smiled down at him, marveling at how much he sounded like his father. Leadership had always come easily to Rick. Thinking about him again sent a jolt of pain through Lexi's chest. Even after hours of thinking about it, she still couldn't make sense of his anger and coldness towards her.

Smiling sadly, she ruffled Carl's hair affectionately before sending him on his way. Then she grabbed her stuff out of the car behind her and headed for the watch tower.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

-Daryl-

An hour later, Daryl climbed the rickety steps to the watchtower, tray of food in hand, with a scowl etched across his handsome face. Who the fuck did she think she was with her breakfast in bed bullshit? Why didn't she just come the fuck inside? Rick knew that he was wrong Daryl knew, he'd spent the whole day in his cell staring up at the ceiling, and both men had been restless at the idea of her sitting outside by herself for so long.

When Carl had come back reporting that she intended to sleep out there, Daryl had cursed under his breath, and insisted on taking watch that night, even though he hadn't slept more than 30 minutes at a time in well over 48 hours.

As he'd left the cell block, tray of food in hand, Rick had stopped him and told him that he expected Daryl to take care of her as if she was Rick's own sister. From his words, Rick could be talking about just keeping her safe from Walkers, but something in his tone told Daryl that he was being told to behave as well.

'Ain't like I'm gonna fuck her,' he thought, blushing slightly at the thought. Not that a pretty, smart chick from a good family would want him anyway,

Rick had always been alright at apologies, but Daryl figured part of him couldn't bring himself to face Lexi because he'd have to explain why. The guilt of killing Shane had never left their group leader, neither had his anger at Shane and Lori's betrayal. It had been enough to ruin his and Lori's marriage, and Daryl grimaced at the thought of watching it destroy another relationship in Rick's life.

He opened the door to the watch tower expecting to find her awake and waiting but instead she lay curled inside her sleeping bag sleeping soundly. She looked smaller somehow, wrapped in her thermal cocoon, and far less jaded than he knew her to be in life. Looking at her breathing softly, he could hardly believe that this woman was capable of cursing without feeling guilty, let alone capable of safely leading a pregnant insane woman through a zombie apocalypse. He remembered how quickly she'd drawn her knife up to Andrea's throat when they'd been discovered, and how steadily she'd driven them through the crowd of walkers outside of Woodberry. But he also remembered how she'd chosen to sedate his guard rather than kill him. Somehow, she'd managed to develop the stomach for making and executing the hard decisions required of people in this new world without losing her humanity. Daryl was impressed with her, in spite of himself.

He shut the door behind him as quietly as he could but the sound caused her to shoot up in bed gun drawn and cocked before he finished turning around.

"Relax, it's just dinner," he said smirking as he plopped down into one of the desk chairs.

"Sorry," she said getting to her feet, still wrapped in the sleeping bag and shuffling over to the chair across from him.

Without him to go hunting, there had been no fresh meat for dinner, but Carol and Beth had still managed to pull together a nice semblance of a Mexican dish, with canned ground beef, corn, black beans, and salsa. She must've liked it well enough, Daryl thought, because while she started eating delicately with one hand still tucked into her sleeping bag, she was soon shoveling it down, holding the plate closer to her mouth to minimize the distance her fork had to travel.

He frowned as he glanced back at her, realizing she'd kept the hand hidden on purpose. It was black and blue and swollen, with clear fingerprints from where Rick had grabbed her. The sight made Daryl furious. It wasn't that he hasn't seen his share of bruises, or that he didn't think she could handle a twisted wrist. He just remembered the way she had reached out to comfort Rick, and the shock and pain in her eyes when he had responded so violently. If Rick wasn't already beating himself up for it, Daryl would've marched back down the guard tower and done it himself.

"Lemme see," he said finally gesturing to her wrist as she finished eating.

Her green eyes flew up to meet his blue ones cautiously. There was something so inexplicably personal about the way she looked at him through her dark eye lashes, as if the only thing that existed in her world in that moment was him.

"It's nothing really," she muttered, but at a look from him she held out her arm anyway. He took it delicately and began to study it carefully. He was worried about the way it was swelling right beneath her thumb, but after inspecting it for a moment he determined that it'd be fine after a few days of being wrapped. He'd had more twisted wrists from being jerked around as a kid then he could remember, and, more than once, a dislocated shoulder. He'd learned early on how to determine between a serious injury and something he could disregard.

He'd stashed a pillow and blanket up hear weeks before and he put her wrist down for a second to fetch them. Pulling the pillowcase off the pillow, he tore of a strip of cloth and sat back down across from her.

As he sat back down, he noticed that the sleeping bag had fallen down to rest around her waist. She was dressed for bed, and even though her teeshirt was baggy he could still see where her nipples pressed against the thin fabric in the cool night air. The sight was enough to give him a halfie, and he looked away in embarrassment, focusing again on binding up her wrist.

"That should do ya," he said finishing, and, without another word, he turned back to the window and began to peer out it into the night as of she wasn't there.

-Lexi-

Lexi stared at him perplexed. She would never have expected such tender treatment from him. The way his callused fingers had gently inspected her wrist sent tingles down her spine and made her feel hot in places she knew she shouldn't.

'This is Merle's brother,' she reminded herself, hoping that the warning would be enough to slow her rising pulse. He got up suddenly and walked across the room giving her space to breathe, but in seconds he was back wrapping her wrist tenderly in a makeshift bandage.

He looked up at her strangely then. A muscle in his jaw tightened and he adjusted in his seat, staring intently back down at her wrist as a soft blush spread across his cheeks.

Finishing, he mumbled something to her, then swiveled around in his chair to stare out into the empty yard. Lexi got the distinct impression he was ignoring her, which bothered her more than she cared to admit. Frustrated, and now, to her horror, horny, she turned in her chair as well and stared out angrily into the night.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

-Lexi-

She tried sitting quietly, but questions started to form in her mind. She'd been too tired and traumatized by Rick's behavior earlier to pepper anyone with questions but as she sat with the redneck in uncomfortable silence she felt as if she'd burst.  
'If silence was golden I'd be a millionaire,' she thought angrily. The phrase had been one of Lori's favorites, given Rick's aversion to talking about matters of the heart. Suddenly she remembered painfully what Carl had said that afternoon. Lori was dead. And Rick hated her.

The unfairness of it all brought frustrated tears to her eyes. Unable to maintain the oppressive silence any longer she turned her chair to face Daryl, determined to make him talk to her.

"So has Rick been this welcoming with everyone recently or is it just me he's decided to hate?" She'd meant to say it casually, but she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

Daryl looked over her with an odd expression on his face. She hated her eyes for betraying her in that instant- she was sure he could see them brimming with tears, even though she refused to let them fall.

"He don't hate you. He's just been fucked since Lori died a few months back."

"i wish I could believe you," she said smiling sadly and looking down. The tears had finally won out. She blinked, letting a few of them fall onto her lap silently.

Daryl shifted in his chair, clearly uncomfortable and unsure of what to say.

"He cares. He all but told me he'd beat my face in if I tried anything with you," he offered awkwardly, hoping it'd make her stop crying.

'Of course,' she though rolling her eyes and grinning in spite of herself, 'leave it to Shane's best friend to hate me and cock block me at the same time.' Shaking her head in exasperation she glanced through her lashes at the muscular standoffish man sitting across from her, and smiled.

-Daryl-

He had no idea what had inspired him to tell her about Rick's warning. He'd just wanted her to stop fucking crying, even though the flushed look it gave her combined with the fact she was still in pjs made her look an awful lot like she'd just finished having sex. 'The fuck are you thinking?' he asked himself, trying to shake the thought.

However he'd anticipated her to react to what he said, this wasn't it. She had stopped crying, which was good but rather than simply being happy Rick didn't hate her, she was wearing that half smile expression he'd seen women get right before they rip your head off for saying something stupid. The look was a favorite of Andrea's, and he'd learned early on to avoid her when he saw it spread across her face.

He watched as Lexi shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair, adding to the disheveled post sex she'd already been exuding. Then she smiled a him, her green eyes zeroing in on him through her lashes.

"Oh he said that did he?" she said, a smile playing across her lips.

"Yeah..." Daryl said, his eyes shifting around to hide his awkwardness. Why the fuck were they still talking about this?

"Well I've got something you can tell Rick," she said, standing up and making her way over to him. Daryl shrank back as she leaned in close to his ear, willing himself not to look at how her tits moved as she bent over to get closer to him.

"You tell Rick I can fuck whoever I damn well please. It's none of his concern anymore," she said in a half- whisper that sent tingles down his spine.

She straightened up with a satisfied smile on her face and made her way over to the makeshift pallet shed been sleigh on when he came up.

"Now I am going to bed," she said laying down on the ground still looking at him with that funny fight-smile only women used, "and you are more than welcome to join me."


	16. Chapter 16

**Short but juicy. Smut alert for those of you who are offended by such things! Took me a while to decide how to set up their first encounter. Hope you like it :) Please Review!**

Chapter 16

-Daryl-

Three hours later he still sat up angrily shifting his gaze from the deserted yard to her sleeping figure. She was on her side facing away from him, the sleeping bag stretched over her femininely curved hips and ass.

What the fuck was she about teasing him like that earlier? And what the fuck did she mean who she fucked wasn't Rick's concern 'anymore'? When the fuck had it been his concern?

Daryl was shocked at how angry the idea of Rock fucking her made him. Once it came into his mind it sat there festering like a disease. He could hardly keep his eyes open in his sleep deprived state and he soon began to doze, visions of Rick and Lexi flashing before his eyes. Rick, ripping off the teeshirt she wore to bed, exposing the hard nipples that had been teasing him all night. Rick, pushing her down on top of the sleeping bag and pulling off her jeans as she shimmied out of them in excitement. Rick, pushing himself inside her and making her arch her back in pleasure.

"Daryl. Daryl!"

His eyes flew open and he jumped up startling Lexi and who'd clearly been leaning over him moments before. She was standing inched from him staring up into his eyes, her full lips parted in surprise. He noticed that instead of the jeans he'd pictured in his dream she wore rolled over boxer shorts below her teeshirt. He wondered angrily if they belonged to some other guy she'd fucked.  
"Daryl..." she began again, cracking a smile at his strange behavior. He stared down at her. There were those lips teasing him again, just like she'd done earlier. She probably knew he wouldn't make a move, knew he was too much of a pussy to call her bluff.

"Ok..." she said starting to turn away but her grabbed her by the waist and turned her into his hard body, his mouth coming down hard against her taunting lips.

For a moment she froze, too shocked to breath, and then she began to respond opening her mouth to his kiss and pressing back against his solid body. He groaned and backed her against the wall pinning her with his hips. To his surprise she parted her legs slightly letting him lean into her more, moaning as he pressed into her through their clothes. Overcome with lust he reached a hand under her night shirt and to find the nipples that had been taunting him all night and slowly began to run his thumb across one in a slow circular motion causing her to cry out and dig her fingers into his muscular shoulders.

-Lexi-

Lexi couldn't remember ever being this turned on before. She was moving her hands away from his shoulders now, up under his shirt across his hard abs. When her fingers felt the course hair of his happy trail all her remaining resistance snapped, and her hands began to move towards his belt greedily.

Just then sound at the door made her jump. Instinctively, she pushed him away, mortified Rick or Caitlyn, or even Carl, might be outside the door. thank god he'd locked it, when he came in, or whoever it was would've walked in on them about to do the deed.

He broke the kiss, staring down at her with a mixture of lust and anger in his eyes. He had claw marks on his shoulders from where her nails had dug into him as he played with her tits, but he didn't seem to notice.

The door turned and the young Asian man she'd seen earlier let himself in, freezing awkwardly as he realized he'd just walked in on something.

"Next time, don't tease unless you can follow through," Daryl growled at her. Then he turned, grabbed his stuff and shoved bodily past the Asian man into the darkness outside.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! Sorry this took me a while to pst, my family is in town for Christmas! I'll do my best to get the next chapter up tomorrow though, shit's about to go down!**

Chapter 17

-Lexi-

Lexi awoke feeling warm and contented. For a moment she lay there, wondering why she felt so relaxed. She sat up with a jolt remembering her encounter with Daryl Dixon the night before. Good god, she'd really acted like one hell of a slut last night. What the hell had come over her? When she'd heard that Rick had decreed her off limits after treating her like absolute shit she'd been angry, but why the hell had she responded like some punch-drunk teenager? Daring a grown man to come into her bed... She flushed red at the thought.

And he'd called her bluff. Not immediately, she might have been prepared for it then. No he caught her completely off guard. She could still remember the feeling of his rough fingers rubbing against her nipples, remember the hot pressure of his cock pressed against her crotch.

Th memories sent her springing to her feet. She needed air. Stripping down quickly, she traded her night shirt and boxers for a pair of yoga pants and a razorback tank, throwing on sneakers and pulling open the door. Even before the outbreak athletic wear had always been her comfort zone. She was simply no good at being a girl, she had no idea and no interest in learning how to tame her mane of black curls, and outside of good fitting jeans, scoop necks, and the occasional sundress she had no idea how to dress herself for a non-sporting event. Flats seemed pointless when compared to sneakers, and in her mind heels were a downright impediment. Being able to exist solely in athletic ware was one of the few things she really liked about the apocalypse, that and the apparent disappearance of all her student loan debt...

She jogged down the steps of the guard tower, squinting at her surroundings in the early morning sun. She had to find Caitlyn, even if it meant braving Rick's wrath again.

"Alex."

She turned around at the sound of his voice, trying to shut down the wave of pain and confusion that began to roll through her after hearing him mutter her old name.

"Rick?" she responded staring him down but refusing to move towards him. She could tell there was no anger in his eyes but he'd forever shattered her perception of him the day before and he had a ways to go before she could trust him again.

"Alex, Lexi, sweetheart. I am so so sorry."

-Daryl-

He'd been heading for the gate with his crossbow slung across his back ready to do some much needed hunting when the sound of Rick's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Lexi, sweetheart..."

The sound of his endearments were enough to twist Daryl's stomach into knots of rage. Hating himself for his weakness, he moved closer to the wall of the cell block and crouched down in order to hear them better without being seen. She'd said something to him in a low quiet voice that Daryl couldn't make out.

"We'll be together Lexi, don't you worry about that. But I need to know who it was."

Daryl pushed himself away from the wall angrily. 'Fickle bitch,' he thought striding towards the gate once more. 'I ain't sittin round here waiting for Rick to lose his shit at me for fuckin around with his mistress. Never should've left Woodberry with that skank.'

his rage deepened as he realized that the distraction she'd posed last night had prevented him from coming up with a plan to save Merle. Now with her about to mouth off about him to Rick he was certain that he'd get no help from the group with any rescue scheme he came up with. Daryl groaned as part of him realized that Merle was as good as dead the second he drove through those gates without him.

As the reality of his brother's predicament washed over him Daryl yelled out in frustration. Ripping his crossbow off his back he flung it across the yard in frustration and fury.

-Rick-

He couldn't believe she was actually asking his permission to stay with them through the end of Caitlyn's pregnancy.

"We'll be together Lexi, don't you worry about that. But I need to know who it was."

She'd closed off at that. During Lori's pregnancy Rick had done the math enough times to know that Caitlyn, with only a slight baby bump could not have been impregnated by Ian if her fiancé had died during the outbreak like Lexi said. Someone had slept with his sister who was not her fiancé, and Lexi's reaction was only confirming his suspicions that she'd been taken advantage of in her weakened mental state.

Feeling his anger raise again, her turned away from Lexi, refusing to repeat the mistake of lashing out at her. It was then he heard Daryl's cry of anger, and, glad for the excuse, set off across the yard striding towards the hunter.

"Daryl!" he called out, surprised as his friend turned and peered at him with rage in his eyes.

"The fuck do you want?" he said his eyes glowing with rage. Rick was taken aback, and moved in to say something to him when he saw a glint in he distance, causing him to forget his friend's bad temper. They had bigger problems.

"Daryl!"

"I said the FUCK do you want?"

"Car's coming up the road behind you. We need to get everyone inside."


	18. Chapter 18

**Merry Christmas! Sorry this is not so filled with holiday cheer... Please review!**

Chapter 18

-Daryl-

He watched the two black SUVs approaching with a feeling of foreboding anticipation in his stomach. This is Woodberry bullshit. Part of him knew it instinctively who the fuck else brings matching cars to a shoot out during the apocalypse?

They had decided to let the newcomers join the group in exchange for their help, and a good natured looking guy named Tyrese had accepted for all of them, though some of the others didn't look happy about it. They'd left to guard the people inside with Carol and Sasha, the woman who seemed to be Tyrese's second in the new group, and together they would be in charge of getting Ben, Caitlyn, Beth and Judith to safety. They'd wanted to leave Hershel inside but he wouldn't have it, insisting that he'd only slow them down in his condition, and had instead declared that he'd guard the entrance to the prison, standing as a last line of defense should the others get taken out.

It was a grim prospect but as Daryl made his way up the inner guard tower in front of Lexi he was glad for the old mans resolve. Even with Glenn and Maggie in the other tower Rick by the gatehouse, and Axel and Tyrese on the roof, there was a chance they'd be over run if Woodberry decided to throw everything it had at them. What mattered now was that Carl, Beth, Judith and Caitlyn got out. He'd never say it but like most of the members of the group, sometimes the only thing that kept him going was the thought of helping those kids reach adulthood.

Still, as he watched Lexi stretch out on the ground and set the scopes on her long range rifle part of he felt his chest tense up as he realized there was a chance in a few minutes he'd watch her die. As they gathered to lay the plan Rick had pressed her again about telling him who the father of Caitlyn's child was, in case he arrived at the fight. She had refused again, making Daryl realize that must've been the name Rick was pushing for when he overheard them earlier.

His earlier feeling of hatred and betrayal had fled, and although he still didn't know what to make of her, and the fact that they'd almost had sex in this very tower not 24 hours ago, he knew that he had to force himself not to contradict Rick and try to send her inside with the others. They were the best shots in the group according to Rick, and this was no time to hold back.

He shook the thought as the SUVs pulled to a stop in front of the gates. Five men climbed out of the first one and began making quick work of the walkers. As Rick had ordered, no one fired, but Daryl kept one of the men locked in his sights at all times, his finger itching on the trigger of his rifle.

Once most of the walkers in the immediate vicinity had been taken care of, the back doors to the second SUV opened. Daryl felt his heart seize up as two men dragged a hooded man out of the back seat.

'Merle.'

The driver's side door flew open and the Governor stepped out, megaphone in hand.

"As a result of your terrorism, we've lost seventeen men in the past week."

Daryl could feel the blood pumping in his ears as he tried to get a clear shot of Governor, but the man kept Merle in front of him like a shield.  
"Four of them you neglected to kill properly, and left to die in the hands of walkers or for us to have to put down..."

The need to do something overtook his mind p, and he pushed himself off the floor in a daze, desperate to reposition himself for a better shot.

"We have neither the man power nor the desire to lose more lives storming this shithole you've adopted as your home..."

He could feel Lexi press herself against him in an attempt to block him from leaving, he could hear her pleading with him to stay put, but none of it registered.

"But we can't just let the behavior go unpunished..."

He freed himself of her and began racing down the steps...

"...so we've com to pay you back in kind..."

He rounded the corner of the tower stairs just as the shot rang out, and Merle collapsed, writhing on the ground, blood pouring from his thigh where the Governor had shot him.


	19. Chapter 19

**About to get a lot bloodier and smuttier in the next few chapters... Sorry... Pease review!  
**  
Chapter 19

-Lexi-

Daryl had barely seemed to see her as he brushed past her down the stairs with that odd expression on his face. As much as she hated Merle, Lexi prayed that nothing would happen to him as she watched Daryl make his way the stairs. Desperate to do something she ran back to her position, snatching up her gun.

"...so we've com to pay you back in kind..."

She'd just dropped to the ground and begun peering through her scope again when she heard the shot. Terrified, she locked in on the Governor and fired, catching him in the bicep and throwing him back against the car. In spite of herself, she felt relief flood through her body when she realized the original shot hadn't hit Daryl, even as she felt her stomach turn from the slight of Merle writhing on the ground in pain.

Daryl was sprinting across the yard towards his brother and Lexi causing panic to well in Lexi's chest. Without hesitating, she turned to her left and fired at one of the men, catching him in the chest and dropping him instantly. His name was Andy, she remembered, before adjusting her position and hitting one of the men helping the governor into the SUV in the shoulder, and he had always been a perv towards Caitlyn.

the others must have joined in the fight because shots rang out across the courtyard and she saw another man fall and the windshield of the first SUV shatter.  
"We'll leave him for you to put down!" the Governor cried out again in a shakier voice than before.

'Good,' Lexi thought. 'I hope the blood loss kills him.' Today's encounter had erased any doubts in her mind she had harbored about conflicting loyalties. She knew now she'd kill anyone who threatened this group.

She got off one more shot shattering the passenger's side window of the first car before they sped out of range and then pushed herself up and bolted down the stairs.

She hated to do this but she knew it was the only chance Merle had at survival. She sprinted past Hershel towards the entrance of the prison.

"All clear, but we've got a man down!" she cried, "Caitlyn I need you out here with all the medical supples stat!"

-Daryl-

He watched the men drop like flies as he sprinted across the yard towards his brother. Merle's hood had fallen off as he thrashed on the ground in pain. The sight of his face twisted in agony sent waves of fury and adrenalin through Daryl's body.

"Merle! Merle!" he screamed out as if to reassure his brother that he was on the way. True panic had taken over his body now. He reached the gate as the second SUV was pulling away , and he ripped his pistol from his side, shooting out their back left tire as the car sped away.

He was about to take aim again when he saw a walker coming from the other direction and fired at it instead. the blood and the gun shots has drawn a number of the. And he could see them walking up from the distance.

"Open the fucking gate!" he screamed as Rick came running up to join him. As soon as it was unlocked he charged out, Rick close on his heels to where Merle lay. Blood had begin to pool under him ow from his leg.

"Little late with the rescue party Darylina," he croaked through gritted teeth, but Daryl wasn't listening. He ripped off his shirt and dropped to the ground tying it around Merle's thigh just above the entry point.

"Need help liftin him," he grunted at Rick as he bent to get his arms under Merle. "Your goin be ok Merle, just put your arm around my neck."

"Dont tell me you let them turn you into one of those Kumbaya faggots," Merle said through gritted teeth, but he slung an arm around Rick and Daryl's shoulder nonetheless.

A shot rang out and Daryl whipped around to see a walker fall ten feet behind him. Turning he saw Lexi running gun in hand towards the gate, with Caitlyn following closely behind.

'The Fuck is she doing here," he thought as he shuffled towards the gate carrying Merle trying to ignore the blood still dripping from his brothers's leg. But as Glenn pulled the gate shut behind gem she sprung into action.

"Sir, young man I need your shirts. Lay them down on the ground before they put him down," Caitlyn said to Glenn and Tyrese, beckoning Rick and Daryl over to a flat patch of grass.

"I'll need you to hold his arms down," she said to Rick and Daryl as they put Merle down on the makeshift mat, "And Lexi I'll need that hunting knife."

Daryl did as he was told, holding Merle's stunted right arm firmly in his own, surprised to see the look of genuine affection that crossed over his brother's face as he looked upon Caitlyn. And there was something else in his face, it almost looked like...relief?

As Caitlyn look the knife from Lexi and began to cut Merle's pant leg off above his wound he piped up.

"Careful with that knife now sweet cheeks, can't be cutting up too high," he said smirking despite his paling complexion and the cold sweat that had broken out on his brow.

Seeing Lexi, his grin widened. "Lexus! Betcher glad to see you old pal Merle again. Shoulda known it was you when that bastard behind me got sniped from 200 yards away. You done with your Femi-Nazi bullshit yet? What d'ya sugar tits? You ready to give dick a chance?"

Daryl felt his face redden and he tightened his grip meaningfully on Merle's arm refusing to look at Lexi, when Caitlyn spoke up.

"Hush now love," she said softly, tightening the shirt Daryl had tied above Merle's wound. "You'll need your strength for this, Ian."

A sad but knowing smile crept across Merle's face. "There you go breaking my heart all over again, sweetheart."


	20. Chapter 20

**So I'm really curious how you guys feel about this one... Review please!**

Chapter 20

-Lexi-

Lexi's stomach was doing summersaults as she stood over Merle. His leg was soaked in blood, and despite Caitlyn's ministrations more blood continued to ooze from the horrifying hole in his leg. Rick's teeshirt was soaked through, and an ugly blood smear covered Daryl's scarred torso.

"Lexi."

Caitlyn's voice broke through the shock that was beginning to set in and brought Lexi back to the present. She shook herself and looked down at her friend.

"I need your help. I need you to hold his thigh down while I go into his leg and clamp the artery," she whispered, and Lexi crouched down putting her arms on either side of his wound.

At Caitlyn's bidding Tyrese went to hold down Merle's legs. Glenn and Maggie however refused to help. They turned from the scene and began to walk together back up the hill to the prison. Lexi couldn't blame them, she'd seen the fading bruises on Glenn's face and learned it was Merle who not only caused them but abducted them in the first place. Were it not for Daryl, she doubted any of them, accept for Caitlyn would have given Merle anything more than a less painful death. She certainly had her own reasons for hating Merle Dixon.

"I need to go into your wound and clamp your artery," Caitlyn explained to tones. "It's retracted, so I need to do it now before it's too late."

"Ready?" she said louder, looking up at Daryl and Rick, then back at Lexi and Tyrese. When they nodded she picked up a clamp, took a rolled up shirt and put it between Merle's teeth to bite down on, and then plunged her clamp into his wound. Merle let out a blood curdling scream as she roved around in search of the artery and began to writhing underneath Lexi's hand.

" I know it hurts but you've got to hold steady!" Caitlyn pleaded, but it was no use, Merle continued to convulse under Lexi and Tyrese's hold.

"Ian please I've got it but I can't hold it..." but Merle bucked with all his might, knocking Caitlyn backwards and sending the clamp flying.

Rick let go Merle's arm instinctively as his pregnant sister tumbled backwards, and Merle twisted his good arm out of Rick's grip pulling the shirt out of his mouth weakly. The efforts seemed to have drained him of his last ounce of strength.

"No more." he panted. "I 'spect it ain't no use now anyways."

Caitlyn's eyes filled with tears as she started to protest but he cut her off reaching out to her. "Don't you cry now doc, you done more'n enough to help this ol' bastard out. Can't risk hurting you in your state to try to save a dead man. Now why don't you and your femi-nazi friend over there go run up and find ol' Merle some oxy to take my mind off things, addiction ain't gon hurt me now."

Caitlyn nodded tears streaming down her face as she pulled a bag of pills out of her pocket. Lexi had seen her grab them as they ran out to help. She poured out 5 and put them into the palm of Merle's remaining hand. He smiled back at her weakly, an odd expression in his eyes.

Lexi had always convinced herself that Merle hadn't given two shits about Caitlyn, it made hating him simpler. But as she watched their exchange she knew that she'd been unfair to the man. However she felt about what he had done, she couldn't honestly pretend he didn't care for her. The thought made her eyes sting, and she looked away, mixed emotions clamoring in her brain.

"Thank you kindly sweetheart, he said laying back down. Now if y'all would be so kind, I'd like a word with Darylina, just the two of us."

Daryl was still kneeling by his brother's arm staring at his leg wide-eyed with his mouth pressed into a thin line. The sight of his face as they pulled away broke the last of Lexi's resolve, and silent tears began to run down her face as she took Caitlyn by the shoulders and began to lead her back up towards the prison.

-Daryl-

Daryl watched them walk away as his the feeling in his chest got tighter and tighter. This couldn't be happening.

Merle watched as Lexi led Caitlyn away, a strange look in his eyes.

"She may be meaner than a bull dyke, but that bitch is alright," he said smiling. "S'pose she had ta be mean, ta take care of the doc all this time."

Daryl stared down at his brother in confusion. Why the fuck was he talking about Caitlyn and Lexi? And why the hell was he giving up?

Merle looked up at him and chuckled. "Don't think to hard Darylina, it ain't never been one a yer strengths. I gotta tell you somethin' and u need you to listen good. I suppose stubborn miss Lexus ain't told you yet but that there baby growin' in the docs stomach is mine."

Whatever he had been expecting, this wasn't it. He stared at Merle again, more confused than ever. "What? But how?"

"If I have to explain that to you baby brother your even more of a bitch than I thought."

"Ain't what I meant."

"I know what you meant. Doc's the one that took care a me after that sumbitch made me cut off my own hand. Didn't realize she was bat shit til a few weeks in hen she started callin me Ian... Still," he said a flicker of sadness crossing his face, "she's a good'un even if she ain't right in the head. Point is, that baby's kin to you. That makes her and the little fucker your responsibility. Ya'understand what I'm sayin to you don't cha?"

Merle stared at him hard. His breathing was becoming ragged now. Still shocked, Daryl nodded. "Course I do."

"Good," he said exhaling and laying his head back to rest. Daryl could see his eyes beginning to glaze over, but whether it was from the oxy or the pain he wasn't sure.

A small sad smile crossed Merle's face and he looked up at his brother again. "Well there's just one thing left then. I ain't becoming no fuckin' geek. So you best do what needs be done now. Ain't no sense in waitin."

Daryl jumped back horrified. Shaking his head but Merle's eyes turned to daggers and his mouth set in resolve. "Listen here baby brother, I ain't lettin no pansy trust fund fuck kill me slowly. It's over when I say it's over. Ain't nothin killin this Dixon but a Dixon, so stop your staring, man up and do what's gotta be done. I ain't lettin him have the last word."

The conviction in Merle's eyes bored through Daryl, even as the weakness in his voice broke his heart. Only Merle would insist on deciding when to go like this. Too horrified to speak Daryl pulled the pistol from his waistband.

Relief spread over Merle's face and he exhaled squeezing his eyes shut. "There's a good sport Darylina," looking up at him again Merle's eyes changed. If he hadn't known any better, Daryl would have sworn there was real emotion in them.

"You take care of yourself, little brother. You take care of that kid."

Then nodding at him one last time, Merle closed his eyes, choosing for the first time in his life not to comment on the tears beginning to form in Daryl's.

Flicking off his safety, Daryl took a step towards his only brother, bringing the barrel of his gun directly over his scarred and prematurely aged brow. Cursing with in anguish, he breathed out just like Merle had taught him years before, and fired.


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the delay! Busy week for me... Also I'venervier written anything like this before and it's harder for me than I thought it'd be! Review please!**

**Also... Smut alert... **

Chapter 21

-Lexi-

They were almost to Hershel when Lexi heard Daryl's tortured yell and the gun shot that followed. Caitlyn turned to her with a pleading look in her eye.

"Go to him, please Lex. He needs someone."

Lexi sighed audibly. All she wanted to do right now was go into the prison curl up in a bed and sleep until the wold got better. She hadn't even been in the residential area of the prison yet. She wasn't even sure how many people were there. But Daryl was out in the yard, with no one but the corpse of his older brother.

Knowing what she had to do, she left Caitlyn with Hershel and turned back towards the yard. the sun was beginning to set, and it glared in her face as she rounded the corner causing her to pause and squint as her eyes adjusted. He must have seen her standing there using her hand as a visor, because she saw someone rise.

As her eyes adjusted to the light she saw with some relief that it was Daryl sidling towards her. He was still shirtless from when he had ripped off his shirt to tie it around his brother's leg, and even the dried blood smear across his torso couldn't detract from how perfect his body looked, illuminated in the rosy light of the setting sun. His eyes were set on her intently, boring through her in a way that sent a shiver down her spine.

He walked right up into her, invading her personal space in a way that both frightened and excited her.

"Got somethin' to tell me?" he growled down at her, though with none of the anger he usually employed.

"Merle told you about Caitlyn."

"Were you just not gonna tell me? Let me just watch Rick raise the only kin I have left like some fuckin bystander?" his voice was raising in anger as he spoke, "is it cause we ain't good enough for you folks is that it? I ain't good enough to help raise my own niece or nephew?"

His face was only inches from her own now, hurt and fury from his eyes pouring into her. She wanted to scream. None of those things were true. She was in over her head. She didn't trust Rick to care for her, Caitlyn, and the baby on his own. Hearing Daryl demand he right to help flooded her with more relief than she'd felt since Caitie first took the pregnancy test.

It was all too much for her to put into words. But she wanted him, she needed him, to feel her appreciation, to know how much she valued him. Not knowing what else to do she reached up rashly, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.

-Daryl-

He almost flinched as her arms came around his neck he was that surprised. Part of him was still angry with her for not telling him about Merle and Caitlyn, but as she pressed her lithe body against his and deepened the kiss the thoughts quickly faded.

He needed this, needed to get lost in the oblivion of simpler things, needed to forget the pain that was threatening to overwhelm him. He kissed her back, more ravenously than passionately, and his arms came around her waist, anchoring her crotch against his hardening body.  
When she responded by sighing into his mouth and raking her nails across his bare shoulders, he lost control entirely. Raw lust and emotion poured from him as his hands roved over her body greedily. He was pressing his body against her do forcefully. She lost her balance for a moment and stumbled, breaking the kiss unintentionally.

It was enough for them both to regain their senses. They stared at each other breathing heavily.

"The fuck was that about?"

"It was an apology, and a thank you, and my way of telling you after everything that's happened in the last two days, I'd much rather fuck you than fight you."

-Lexi-

She had never been as blunt with a man as she was with Daryl Dixon, but a part of her knew that she'd never get what she wanted if she beat around the bush. And she wanted it. She was tired of feeling responsible, tired of feeling afraid, tired of always having to be in control. She lost herself in the moment when Daryl was kissing her and today she needed to be lost for more than just one moment.

He was staring at her, clearly untrusting that she was serious about her intentions. She moved in again, realizing she'd have to, and gestured towards the gatehouse behind them.

Then leaning into his ear and mimicking his words from the night before she whispered, "don't tease unless you can follow through." Hoping that the challenge would work if nothing else, she took his hand and began to lead him to the building.

-Daryl-

The sight of her leading him by the hand, her hips swaying sensually in challenge about undid him. Swearing he took the lead, pulling her along and then wrenched the door to the gatehouse open. Slamming it shut behind her he looked down to see her staring up at him, her tempting lips parted in surprise. He leaned in and kissed her hard, his arms coming down to lift her against him with his hands palming her perfect ass greedily. She came up willingly, wrapping her arms and legs around him and pressing her tits against his bare chest.

He realized with annoyance that her shirt was still on, and carried her over to the desk sitting against the wall so the he could free his hands to fix it. Even after he put her down her body remained glued against him, pressing against his crotch and torso. The momentary distance he put between them as he tore off her shirt caused her to change tactics and she leaned away from him every so slightly so that her hands could roam down his bare chest and set to work unbuckling his belt.

'Eager bitch' he thought smirking in spite of himself as she pulled his belt free and moved on to the Zipper if his pants. She really seemed like she wanted this.

Using his last ounce of self control he held her hand still against the zipper of his pants, letting her feel his growing erection but keeping her from taking his pants off all together. Leaning into her ear he murmured in a husky lust-filled voice.

"I ain't gonna love you all sweet n' shit like those college boys you're used to. We could try that later if you wanna, but if you take my pants off now I'm gonna fuck you til I can't stand no more. Jus' figured I should warn ya, if ur not into that kinda stuff."

She ran her hand down the length of his shaft in response and he nipped at her ear and began to kiss a line down her neck. She moaned, and moved his hands to the waistband of her yoga pants. He hooked two fingers in it and began to peal them off her legs. He'd been expecting panties and when he ripped the pants away and got a glimpse of her naked and ready sitting on the edge on the desk he nearly lost it.

Under his stare she seemed to falter for a moment making a half move to cover herself, but he caught her arms and threw them around his neck kissing her hard before she could over think things. Was she crazy enough not to realize how much the sight of her naked and ready turned him on?

Not willing to break the kiss in case she hadn't gotten the message yet, his hand roamed blindly, first over her perfect tits, then down her flat stomach, finally coming to rest around her bare hips. With his hand still splayed out over her hip, he reached down with his thumb, cautiously exploring her until he found her swollen bud. He swirled the pad of his thumb over it lazily, and watched with satisfaction as she cried out with pleasure and dug her nails into his shoulders.

He bent his head and took one of her hard nipples into his mouth, repeating the mimicking the swirling motions of hi thumb with his tongue and making her frantic. She freed her arms from where he'd put them around his neck and began reaching into his boxers for his cock, desperate to give him some of the pleasure she was feeling. She wrapped her hand around him expertly and began to slowly stoke him up and down, pausing occasionally to explore the head of his cock with her soft warm fingers.

'Holy shit' Daryl thought as her touch racked through his body and almost making him cum then and there. It had been too long for him to hold out with foreplay any longer. Grabbing her hands, he threw her arms around his neck, pulled her all the way up to the edge of the desk and plunged into her.

She moaned and arched her back as he pumped in and out of her furiously. Everything about her was perfect, from the way she eagerly tried to match his motions to the way her tits bounced with each stroke. He wanted to give her everything, to please her in every way. Feeling his control fraying he wrapped her arms around him and picked her up, keeping himself inside her all the while.  
Holding her against him he began to pump within her again, slower and more deliberately, feeling her hard nipples scrape along his hard chest. The deeper strokes and the friction on her tits and clit sent her over the edge, and she clung to him sobbing in ecstasy as her orgasm racked through her body.

Feeling her tighten as he pummeled her brought on Daryl's own climax and he leaned her against the wall as he stroked to a finish, his hot seed pouring into her.

The position had been an excellent one, but as as Daryl came down from his orgasm he realized it was a little more personal than he intended to finish with. Too exhausted with satisfaction to move, they clung to each other upright against the wall, her legs and arms still wrapped around him intimately, with his diminishing erection still buried inside her. She was resting her head in the crook of his neck panting softly. As her walked her back over to the desk and put her down lightly she seemed to cling tighter to her for a moment, then kissed his neck lightly before letting go. She looked up at him through her dark lashes, her green eyes displaying vulnerability that he'd not yet seen for a moment before looking away.

'Fuck' he thought, as reality began to sink in, 'What now?'


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry for the delay! Hope you all had a great new year. This chapter took me a bit because I was struggling with transitioning out of the love scene and into moving the story along. Let me know what you think!**

**Oh also Happy Birthday Norman Reedus!**

Chapter 22

-Lexi-

the euphoria she felt during her encounter with Daryl faded quickly as they finished and reality began to sink in. He clearly had no idea what to say to her, and so he settled on nothing, putting her down lightly and then awkwardly turning to get dressed as if she wasn't there. She was about to get annoyed, but then she remembered that his brothers corpse lay not 100 yards away, and decided that a lesson on post-coital etiquette would be poorly timed.

She was still hurt by his abrupt shift, and as she began to pull her clothes on she held in the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes out of sheer stubbornness. she hadn't felt this low since Shane had laid into her after the winter formal incident, and even then she'd had rage to temper distract her from the shame.

Desperate to get some space from Daryl she headed out of the office as soon as she was dressed and began to walk up the hill towards the prison. It had been sunset when she first met up with Daryl, and she as she made her way into the prison she could tell most people had simply gone to sleep. They kept the cell block door locked at night so she waited peering through the bars as Glenn went to fetch the keys.

It felt like she'd been with the group forever, even though it had only been two days, and she found herself feeling strange as she peered into the cell block she'd never been in. She had gone for Caitlyn to help Merle earlier, but she had only run up to the locked gate and called for her, unwilling to waste time admiring the safe haven.

Despite its harsh appearance, the prison was nothing short of ideal for their group. Lexi realized with a pang of guilt she didn't fully know all the members of "their group." With Laurie gone there was only Rick and Carl and now Caitlyn for the Grimes'. She hoped Rick would be able to accept Caitie's baby when the time came. He had always wanted more kids, while Laurie felt he barely got enough time with Carl as it was, and she desperately hoped that would carry through whatever jaded exterior he'd crafted for himself since Laurie's death.

Then there was Hershel's group, which she knew included Glenn and Maggie and a younger sister... Ann? Or Beth? She hadn't seen much of her yet but she knew she was blond. She'd passed an older woman she knew was named Carol when she was walking up, who seemed particularly standoffish, and then there was also Tyrese, the strong middle-aged black man who'd helped her hold down Merle's leg during Caitlyn's attempted surgery.

She was pretty sure there were others too, but those were the only ones she could remember. She made a mental note to get to know everyone tomorrow, realizing angrily that the only reason she'd not taken closer notice of their numbers was because she'd allowed herself to be distracted by drama with Rick and Daryl. She'd even left Caitlyn with them! Vowing to herself that she'd be more observant tomorrow, she made her way into an unoccupied cell, sprawled out on the cot, and fell fast asleep.

A few hours later Lexi awoke with a start. 'What the hell is that?' She thought startled by the echoing cries that reverberated around the cell block. 'Am I finally cracking? Is the stress of Caitlyn's pregnancy making me dream about screaming babies?'

She pushed herself up off the cot, shaking the sleep out of her eyes, and made her way cautiously out of her cell. The crying persisted and as she made her way past occupied rooms she heard the sounds of people stirring

"I can't live like this, honestly I can't. We need to sound proof these walls or something..."

"Hush Maggie, it's already less frequent than when she was born. Try to sleep."

'Who was born? Who had a baby?' Lexi's confusion grew as she made her way closer to the sound. Was it possible she'd missed a woman? No one she'd met so far looked like they'd been through labor recently enough for so young a cry. And why hadn't anyone mentioned it when they heard about Caitlyn's pregnancy?

She froze as Carl emerged from a cell door ten yards away, holding a baby in one arm and a bottle in the other.

"Hey Judith... It's ok... Hush now." he said, bringing the bottle to her lips and rocking back and forth soothingly, clearly not seeing her.

She approached him slowly so as not to startle him while he was holding the baby. She was young, not more than two months old, with a mop of black hair. They'd clearly put an effort into finding things for her, and she was dressed in a little pink onesie and wrapped in a soft warm blanket. Her tiny hands came up to steady the bottle as she drank, and as Lexi drew closer she saw that her flushed tear streaked cheeks were beginning to return to their normal color.

"Who you got there buddy?" she said lightly to Carl. His eyes flashed up momentarily frightened and uncharacteristically cold, but upon realizing it was her he relaxed. She peered at the young boy she'd gotten to know so well a year and a half before. Dark circles had formed under his beautiful blue eyes, and his once rounded cheeks looked gaunt and more angular in the moonlight.

"This is Judith. She's my baby sister," he said flush I slightly at being caught unawares.

Even though she had expected it, his answer still made Lexi's brow furrow in confusion. Rick and Lori would have had to conceive immediately after the troubles began. Something about it just didn't sit right in her mind, but she ignored it and stepped closer to peer down at the child. She was beautiful but dark, much darker than Carl had been, if her memory served. She tried to think back to baby pictures she'd seen of Lori, but her memory failed her.

Judith began to fuss again and exhausted Carl began to rock back and forth again, bouncing her softly and speaking to her in hushed tones.

"Where's your dad kiddo?" Lexi asked but regretted it immediately at the look that crossed Carl's face. Embarrassed he looked down.

"Taking watch. He knows I'm good with her so mostly I just take care of her. He's really busy." His awkward explanation told her all she needed to know. Carl was like Rick in so many ways, and one of them was understating a problem. For whatever reason, Rick was not involved in caring for this baby.

Angry and embarrassed for her former idol, Lexi reached out a hand to stroke the baby's cheek, momentarily quieting her. She grabbed Lexi's pointer finger with her little fist and clung on, cooing softly.

"I can't sleep anyway, you want me to rock her for a while?" She offered, smiling down at the baby in spite of herself.

"I guess that would be ok," he said handing the baby over with a relieved look on his face, "come and get me if you get tired, and if she falls asleep the crib is in my cell. Thanks Lex."

-Daryl-

He'd spent the rest of the night avoiding Lexi because he honestly didn't know what to say. He'd never been with a woman who seemed so interested in him, and he truly didn't know how to respond. He'd had 'just sex' plenty of times, but there was no 'just sex' with a woman like Lexi.

He hid out in the guard tower keeping watch until Rick caught him dozing and sent him back to the cell block to get some rest. He had hardly slept in two days, and the emotional exhaustion of losing his brother coupled with the unavoidable physical exhaustion of his escapade with Lexi finally overcame him.

He stumbled back to the cell block, almost delirious with exhaustion, but still hoping in the back of his mind that he didn't run into her. It was four in the morning, he reasoned with himself, so honestly she should be sleeping.

"Stars shining up above me..."

The sound of her voice floating softly down the halls confirmed his worries. She was awake. Still his exhaustion drove him forward, too powerful to allow his bashfulness to govern his actions.

"You lean in, and whisper you love me..."

He could she her now rocking back and forth in the moonlight, holding a bundle that must've been Judith. the sight of her sent singing softly to the child sent ripples of unwanted emotion through him. Unable to stop himself he stood transfixed watching her.

"You've got me going out of my head..."

'I want this' he realized, through his exhaustion, his mind too dulled to throw up the usual barriers against desire. 'I want her.'

"Dream a little dream of me."

She finished and turned, her green eyes locking on him in surprise as she saw him in the doorway.

"Hey." he heard himself say, shocking them both.

Yep, this was definitely something more dangerous than 'just sex.'


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey guys! Thank you all for your reviews and support over these past few weeks I really value your imput! I'm trying to bring some actual places in these next few chapters, so if you think my geography is off please let me know! I imagine them as somewhere Southwest of Atlanta probably somewhere off highway 20 so if you know anhthing frlm the show or comics that would suggest otherwise please let me know! Also im trying to stay true to the idea of the show where a lot of different characters play an important role, but don't worry, the Daryl Lexi romance will advance I promise you! As always please review!**

Chapter 23

-Lexi-

Lexi woke up the next morning tired but satisfied. She'd gotten acknowledgement out of him last night, even if it was a somewhat awkward exchange of at four am. When she saw him watching her with the baby she'd expected him to bolt the second their eyes met, but instead he'd said hello and offered shyly to take over with Judith if she wanted to get some sleep.

His offer to help with the baby caught her off guard and made her smile at him in spite of the promise she'd made herself earlier that night not to acknowledge him anymore. She hated herself for the way she was subconsciously latching on to him, at how easily her inner self seemed willing to relax when he was nearby.

They didn't talk very much the next few days but Lexi often caught him looking at her from a distance, watching her as she went about her chores and especially when she was with Judith. She was willing herself to hold out, trying not to appear desperate and clingy by making excuses to talk to him daily. She promised herself she'd wait until the fifth day and then approach him, if he didn't come to her first.

In the meantime, she busied herself with caring for Judith and Caitlyn. She was irrationally attached to the baby in ways she didn't really understand. She told herself it was a side effect of having gone of birth control (she'd been on it from age seventeen until her prescription ran out a few months after the crash) and that this was just how she would instinctively feel towards babies until she made one of her own. If she ever got the chance.

Caitlyn had been doing progressively better since their arrival at the prison, and needed far less caring for than she had previously despite her advancing pregnancy Lexi noticed long ago that Cait's insanity almost always adjusted around the real rules and needs of the situation they were in. It gave Lexi hope that one day she would recover.

She knew now that she was pregnant, and was excited about it despite being somewhat embarrassed that she wasn't married. She had also begun to acknowledge that something had turned the world on its head, although whatever that 'thing' was in Cait's mind Lexi wasn't certain. She still thought the baby was Ian's and Lexi overheard her telling Rick one day that as soon as he met with them they'd get married.

"Is there any chance he did make it?" Carl asked Lexi quietly one day after spending the morning with his Aunt. Lexi smiled down at him sadly understanding where he was coming from. Caitlyn had been a voice of reason in both of their lives for years, and her insanity could be contagious if you let it be. Even though she was broken, Lexi had often felt pangs of jealousy when her friend talked about the world, wishing that she too could ignore the darkness.

"No sweetheart, I saw the bullet holes in his brain myself," this was a lie, but Carl had known Ian for years, and he didn't need to know he horrific truth.

In the days Ian was killed no one understood the disease well enough. The National Guard had come into the hospital and began shooting all the patients. Orders were vague though, and the guardsmen were panicked and horrified themselves, so each ward received different treatment. Ian must've been shot refusing to step away from a patient, because he was still in his operating gown on the floor when Lexi found Caitlyn desperately trying to revive him. He'd taken two round in the chest and Lexi knew he was gone the instant she saw him. She'd just managed to pull her friend away sobbing when he reanimated. Caitlyn almost through herself at him in happiness before he got up and began to come at them. Horrified but unwilling to die Lexi had grabbed for the closest thing to her, and managed to drive a scalpel through his eye as he lunged at them.

Somehow she'd managed to drag Caitlyn sobbing and resisting out of the hospital and into her car. They drove northwest, rather than east which probably save there lives, and camped out in Lexi's car for a few days somewhere between Chattanooga and Atlanta before she realized Caitlyn's insistence that Ian wasn't dead was fermenting into a kind of insanity.

Seeing her gaze off, Carl gave her a knowing look, and squeezed her hand. He looked as I he wanted to say something to her.

"You ok bud? Anything you wanna tell me?" She saw his eyes brim with tears at her question, but he looked away shaking his head. Sh pulled him into a hug and for the first time in a long time he let himself be comforted breathing raggedly as silent sobs raked his body.

"Just don't leave ok?" he said finally, breaking the embrace and getting up.

"I won't." she promised. He looked at her for a long moment, still seeming like he needed to say something, and then walked away.

Lexi watched him go sadly, wondering what had been so horrible that he didn't feel he could tell her.

She woke the next day excited that she'd held out five days and could finally talk to Daryl, only to find that he, Rick, Glenn and Jonah, the bearded man who'd come with Tyrese were preparing to go on a supply run. Lexi didn't like it at all, they couldn't stand to lose one of them let alone all three, but she knew they'd be safest together. She also knew they were running low on formula for Judith, and that the addition of new people had seriously cut into the prison's food supplies.

She saw Rick and Carol arguing a little way off. Rick left the conversation and Carol turned, shooting Lexi a look of utter hatred before stalking off. She knew she'd been upset about how much time she'd spent with the baby, and Lexi had a sneaking suspicion she knew about her and Daryl, but she wasn't sure why the hell any of it mattered to her.

They all gathered together to get instructions from Rick before they left. Even if her opinion of Rick had suffered of late, Lexi still respected him and what he'd done for the people in his group. He provided leadership in a difficult, difficult situation and that was truly an admirable thing, regardless of his imperfections.

"Right. Everyone given Glenn your list of the things you need? We're going to go to Heflin for supplies. It's about 20 miles from here so we'll probably be gone all day. While we're gone Tyrese is in charge."

Lexi saw from the look on Jonah's unhappy face that he had not volunteered for the mission. Rick liked Tyrese, and Lexi agreed that he was a man to trust, but she'd been more hesitant about the bearded man and his son. Rick evidentially felt the same way so he was bringing the older man along as a hostage while he and the other able bodied men of his group we're gone. This type of Machiavellian calculation was new to him she knew, but in this case she was glad for the change.

"Lex, can I have a word with you before we go?" she heard Rick say after he finished giving out instructions. She nodded and walked with him a little further on.

"I know we've still got a ways to go before the damage from what I did the day you arrived is healed, he said, peering at her remorsefully with his piercing blue eyes, "but I've seen what you've done for Carl and for Judith these past few days and I gotta tell you how grateful I am."

He reached out and clapped her on the shoulder giving her a squeeze of appreciation before he began again.

"The threat from Woodberry is far from over, and before I leave I need to ask you something. If something happens to us today, not saying it will, but if it does, I need to know you'll look after my children and my sister."

"Rick of course you know I'd do anything for them. You're like family to me all of you. You do know that right? Nothing's changed, I still love you like my own flesh and blood."

He looked down at her, with what seemed like real pain in his eyes. "Lex about Judith..."

"Yes?"

He hesitated for a moment and then sighed. "Nothing. Just take care of yourselves. I'll see you tonight."

And with that he turned and got into the Grand Cherokee her and Daryl had stolen from Woodberry, Daryl climbing in after him, shooting Lexi a final glare before slamming the door behind him.

Her heart constricted as the engine revved taking the two men she cared most about in the world off into certain danger.

"Be Careful!" she yelled following the SUV a few steps before it drove off. Then quietly to herself she mumbled.

"Both of you."


	24. Chapter 24

**Two chapters in one day! Things are getting a bit dark in this one again... Let me know what you think!**

Chapter 24

-Carl-

Lexi had frozen watching his dad and the others drive away with concern written all over her face. It was a look he was sick of seeing. When he thought about his mom, nine times out of ten she wore a similar expression on her face. He had a hard time remembering her smiling in genuine happiness. Since they left the farm most of the times she'd smiled it had been to try and fake calm for him. He knew it, and he'd been angry at her for it, although honestly now he couldn't think why it had made him so mad. He followed Lexi back inside to the kitchen, where Beth sat holding Judith and Carol stood busily working on lunch for those still left at the prison.

Lexi went over to Beth and Judith, smiling down at the baby. The sight made Carl happy, but also filled him with guilt. How could she possibly not see it?

Judith's skin was a beautiful caramel color darker than he, his mom, and his dad had ever been. Lexi and Shane had Creole blood in them he knew, with a mix of Native American and even some West African blood running through there veins. Hershel had told him her eyes wouldn't be a permanent color until she was a few months older, but they were already too dark to be like him and his dad's.

The adults in his group never talked about it around him, but Carl knew as well as anyone else that the baby was Shane's. He hadn't wanted to admit it to himself for a long time, but he'd known what his mom and Shane were doing when he caught them in his tent, even before his mother had told everyone she was pregnant. He knew his dad knew it too, and that it was the reason he had a hard time taking care of Judith.

"Can I see her for a bit?" he heard Lexi say to Beth, who nodded before handing the baby over.

"You seem to think you've got some kind of a special claim to that baby." Carol muttered as Lexi lifted Judith from Beth's arms.

"Listen Carol, I've had about enough of your passive-aggressiveness. Rick asked me to look after his children while he's gone, which does in fact put me in a special position when it comes to this baby, though it's really none of your fucking business."

Carl felt himself tense. Lexi was not a person you'd want to get into a fight with. She was smart, smarter probably than Carol realized, and she had the capacity to be biting and cutting without letting emotion overrule her logic. It was one of the reasons they all felt she'd make a great lawyer. But she was also not the type to do anything half assed. Carol was in for a nasty surprise if she thought she could pick a fight without Lexi finishing it. In that way her and Shane were very similar.

Glenn and Maggie came into the kitchen just then, which seemed to embolden Carol, because upon seeing them, she shot back at Lexi.

"Oh don't worry, Lori told me all about the 'special position' Shane's younger sister wanted to have with Rick. I suppose now that she's dead you see your chance?"

Carl felt his heart rate rise. Carol was being completely unfair to Lexi and his mother's memory. Lori had never really been worried about Lexi and Rick, so far as he knew, but during the months his dad had ignored her after Shane's death she had brought it up once in a fight, trying to goad Rick into a response more than anything. He was surprised Carol even remembered it, although he'd come to realize some time ago that Carol had a mind like a steal trap when it came to personal information.

Lexi took a step towards the older woman, who shrank back in spite of herself. "Shane's younger sister," she repeated.

Carol nodded stiffly, waiting for the weight of Lexi's wrath to be unleashed. "It's what I said isn't it?"

"How did my brother die?" Lexi demanded in a low and deliberate voice.

"What?" Carol said, her eyes flashing around at the others desperately. Whatever she'd expected to get out of this riff with Lexi this wasn't it. Lexi walked back over to Beth and handed off Judith, motioning at Beth to take her out of the room before turning back to Carol.

"My brother. I know you knew him, or you wouldn't have referred to me as 'Shane's younger sister' in your pathetic attempt to insult me. I also noticed that you stressed that point, as if being his kin is more damning than trying to seduce a married man. So I'm asking you one more time, How. Did. My. Brother. Die." She repeated the question as if all of the words were a sentence of their own, giving them weight as she approached Carol again.

"Fuck you." Carol said, clearly near panic but unwilling to be cowed by Lexi's implied threat.

Faster than any of them could blink Lexi slammed Carol against the wall, her switchblade drawn against the older woman's throat.

"Wrong fucking answer."


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm redeeming Carol a bit in this one for all you Carol fans out there. She's not a bad character in my mind, but like all the walking dead folks she's just got some serious flaws. It's one of the things that I love so much about this series. Let me know what you think!**

Chapter 25

-Carl-

Glenn drew his gun and pointed it at Lexi and Carl instinctively brought his own weapon up to point at Glenn. It was only for a moment, but it was long enough for Maggie to see her eyes widening in shock and betrayal. He hated himself for his reaction but he knew what it meant- he wasn't going to let Lexi die.

Carol was whimpering softly against Lexi's knife but still refused to talk. Lexi was speaking to her in a low undertone so the the rest of them could hardly hear.

"Shane died in a walker attack! Leave her alone!" Glenn yelled. "No one needs to get hurt."

Lexi shook her hard sadly, "I really liked you people Glenn! But no one puts up a fuss like this about a walker attack. And I can see from Carol's eyes that you're lying. No, someone here murdered my brother, and unless I find out who did you better believe someone will get hurt. There's no polite resolution if you're gonna hide my brothers murders, sorry."

Carl knew what he had to do, but he hated to do it. Lexi was the only person he really had left now from his past. Shane and his mom were dead, Caitlyn and his dad were broken and different. Even with a knife pressed against Carol's throat Lexi was still Lexi. Glenn and Maggie were acting so surprised, and Carol hadn't even thought about it before mentioning Shane. Her brother was dead and they were protecting his killer, of course it got ugly.

He hated Carol more than anything in that moment, although part of him knew this would have happened eventually.

"...done playing game with you..." he heard Lexi say menacingly to Carol. It was now or never.

"Glenn put your gun down," he ordered stepping into his line of fire. Reluctantly Glenn did, while Maggie shot Carl a look of pure hatred. She wouldn't forget his gut reaction to back Lexi over them any time soon.

Willing himself not to cry at the thought of Lexi hating him and leaving, he stepped forward again. There was nothing left to do now but confess.

"Lexi! I shot Shane."

-Lexi-

Part of her knew this was gonna lead no where good the second she drew her weapon, but part of her didn't care. Fuck these people, especially this stupid trembling bitch she had in her grasp. Throwing her brother's death out there over petty jealously and then getting shocked and horrified when she reacted? What universe did this woman live in.

Still, she didn't like the idea of having to fight Glenn and Maggie and she didn't like the fact that Carl was here. But still! How could Carl and Rick be staying with these people of one of them had killed Shane? Rick should've sought this vengeance the day after it happened. Her confusion only added to her fury and the twisting feeling in her stomach that something was terribly terribly wrong.

The reality of his death was truly hitting her now, coming in sharp terrible waves as loss often can. She's suppressed it, in the months of not knowing and even in the days since she'd been at the prison, allowing herself to pretend he was merely absent. But this confrontation brought all of that to an end. He was gone, the rift between then would never be healed. And justly or not this woman had effectively volunteered herself to take the brunt of Lexi's rage and anguish.

"I'm done playing games with you," she said to Carol in a low menacing tone. Right then she had no qualms with causing this woman pain. She'd shot men of Woodberry to protect these people before she'd even met them all, she was not beyond hurting Carol to avenge her brother.

The woman merely shook her head silently tears streaming down her face. Somewhere deep inside her Lexi's humanity screamed at her to relent. Even at the height of her fury she didn't think Carol herself had been the culprit. She shoved her arm against the woman in frustration, but was about you release her wrap hen she heard Carl call out.

"Lexi! I shot Shane."

More shocked than anything else she released Carol and turned to face Carl in disbelief, moving towards him.

"Don't you touch him!" Carol screamed, grabbing a kitchen knife and lunging at Lexi. Her cry had come a moment before she lunged giving Lexi time to duck. Even so the knife sliced into her leaving a shallow but painful cut on her left shoulder inches from her neck. She threw the older woman to the floor pinning her easily, the knife cached uselessly in Carol's trapped right hand. But the rage was leaving Lexi to be replaced by sickening pain and confusion.

"I would never hurt him," she said quietly the anger leaving her voice. She had to get out, had to get air.

"I'm sorry for hurting you." she mumbled to Carol. She might think the older woman was weak and petty but she'd put herself in danger to protect Carl, and she couldn't hate her for that. She climbed off her slowly, throwing the knife away for good measure, and fled, ignoring the cries from Carl for her to wait that echoed through the prison after her.


	26. Chapter 26

**Please review! Thanks so much Emberka and FanFicGirl10 for your constant support! **

Chapter 26

-Daryl-

Daryl was fuming as he sped back towards the prison. The mission had not been a success. Heflin had been a bust. Someone, he strongly suspected the men of Woodberry, had thrown Molotov cocktails into all of the stores on main street, including the only pharmacy for 20 miles. What's worse is they'd set off a series of car alarms while they were terrence, and although they'd all shut down by the time Daryl and the men got there, the walkers the alarms had drawn were still milling around. No point in going house to house with that many geeks around.

When they got to the gate Daryl felt a sense of foreboding build in his stomach. There was nothing outwardly wrong with the prison, but as Glenn and Tyrese let them in his uneasiness grew. Carl rarely missed a car's return, especially when his dad was gone, and Daryl realized he was disappointed Lexi hadn't come down to see who pulled in. Maybe they were both watching the baby?

The wariness in Tyrese's eyes as he approached the car told him it was more than that.

"Glad you're all ok. Rick you, uh, should go talk to Carl. We had to subdue him a little bit ago, he's pretty upset, tried to clear the gym and G block by himself."

"What the HELL happened?" Rick said swinging out of the car and slamming the door behind him angrily.

Glenn shuffled forward awkwardly. "Carol tried to pick a fight with Lexi,said some pretty shitty stuff and brought up Shane. Lexi realized from the way she said it that there'd been some foul play in Shane's death and lost it. Pinned Carol with a knife against her neck before we even realized she was pissed. Things were pretty tense, with Lexi set to cut Carol's throat and me drawn to take out Lex if she tried, and Carl just stepped in the middle of it and told Lexi he shot Shane."

"She turned to move towards him, she honestly didn't look like she'd hurt him or anything, but I guess Carol couldn't see that from where she was because she lunged at Lexi with a knife. Cut her pretty badly before Lexi pinned her again. I think it all was too much for Lexi though, cause then she apologized to Carol and took off running. Carl looked for her everywhere and then remembered he'd never told her there were still walkers in G block and the gym. We got him back into our cell block about 20 minutes ago but he's been inconsolable."

"Was he hurt?" Rick asked, running a hand through his hair with a look on his face as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Glenn shook his head.

"You find Lexi yet?" Daryl asked in spite of of himself. He could see the whole thing playing out in her mind. He could tell from Glenn's retelling that he'd been surprised by Lexi's violent reaction. He respected the guy, but the kid still clearly had no clue how family shit worked.

"No." Glenn said looking down at his feet. "We figured-"

But what ever they'd figured Daryl hadn't waited to hear it. The second he heard what he'd suspected he took off for the prison. He found Carol waiting by the entrance.  
"Glenn told you-" she began, moving down the stairs towards him as he approached.

"Yeah where'd it happen?" he said without slowing down.

"The kitchen but-" he brushed past her without another word and headed straight for the kitchen. He spotted the place on the floor where Lexi had pinned Carol, crouching to look at the droplets of blood that lingered there.

"She tried to kill me!" Carol yelled at him, clearly upset that he was tracking the girl she'd fought with.

"Threatened." he said rubbing the blood with one of his fingers. It was almost completely dry, giving him a better timeframe. It'd been about two and a half hours since the fight.

"What?"

"She threatened to kill you. If she'd a tried, you'd be dead. Coulda jus' told her what she was askin, rather 'n let the kid take the fall for it."

"So you're taking her side? Is that it? I suppose if I had let her go after Carl people would realize that she's a danger to this group, but no instead I get all the blame for it, you come in here and start a rescue party for my would-be killer, and Carl, who I saved not three hours ago, refuses to speak to me and acts more upset than when he lost his own mother. I've had enough of you people!"

She stormed off, and Daryl let her go without another word. He knew she wouldn't leave, and he wasn't about to go fuel her pity-party. It was a miracle Lexi had gone this long without finding out that Shane had been murdered not killed in a walker attack, and Carol had been an idiot to bring him up. The reminder of the loss of his own brother was still enough to crack Daryl's control, and he didn't blame Lexi in the least for what she'd done.

As he began to follow her trial further into the prison, his mind turned to what Carol and Glenn had said about Carl. He had heard the kid's sobs as he made his was to the kitchen, echoing horribly off the concrete prison walls. Carl was one of the toughest SOBs Daryl knew, kid or not, and to hear him crack like this only fueled his rage. Daryl remembered walking with Carl through these same halls and telling the preteen about how his mother had died when he was only a kid too, only to have Carl blankly confess to shooting Lori before she turned, and then give him his condolences over the loss of Mrs. Dixon.

He'd been so much more of a kid since Lexi had arrived. Daryl knew it would never make up for the loss of Lori, but Lexi was the closest thing Carl and Judith had to a mother, arguably the closest thing they had to a real parent since Rick had lost his shit.

The thought stopped Daryl in his tracks for a second as guilt washed over him. Judith. Lexi actually WAS the closest thing she had to a parent- she was the only adult kin that child had left, and she didn't even know it. He remembered how angry he'd been when he thought Lexi wasn't going to tell her about Merle and Caitlyn, and realized guiltily that he'd been letting her live in the same ignorance. Fuck that. He was going to find her, he was going to bring her back, and shit was going to change.

And with that thought in mind he unlocked the gate to cell block G, and followed her blood trail inside.


	27. Chapter 27

**HUGE APOLOGIES for taking so long to update, I had some crazy family stuff happen in January and then I wanted to see what they did with the season before carrying on. I will try to follow the season in a LOT of places but I will also be doing some veering off when I need to make it work with my story. Let me k ow what you think! **

**Please review!**

**Chapter 27**

-Carl-

He'd gotten out of bed and moved out into the yard just to avoid one of his father's heart to hearts. There were times when he used to crave these one on one convos but with each day that passed since his mother's death he found himself feeling more and more distant towards his dad. He watched now as the ex sheriff walked into he woods outside the gate, peering around as if he was looking for something. What the fuck was he doing out there anyway?

His graze reverted back to his aunt who stood out in the yard clearing space for an herb garden in the outer yard. From here, She looked sane and normal, if you could ignore the tiny figures clinging to the bar wire fence below her. The Woodberry folks were all well-fed, and unlike his mother who began looking almost skeletal by her second and third trimesters, his aunt looked like she could've come straight off the cover of New Parent magazine.

Thinking about how well she was made him think about Lexi again and the wave of stress it caused was so intense he almost threw up then and there.

'Daryl will bring her back.' he reassured himself. With his dad the way he was nowadays Carl was starting to appreciate the younger man more and more. He trusted him implicitly to find Lexi, a small part of him just worried he wouldn't be fast enough.

'And she hates you now, remember?' He kept reminding himself over and over, so that if Daryl did come back with her he'd be ready for it, but the thought still overwhelmed him.

He turned at the sound of footsteps behind him and saw Carol and Axel walking together with Beth not far behind. The ex-con was doing his best to make Carol smile and was about to succeed. Despite how shitty she'd been to Lexi, Carl knew he had to set things right with her- she genuinely cared for him, and after all this time, she was practically family. Axel stopped and turned to face Carol, saying something Carl couldn't make out. The ex-con smiled triumphantly, having finally succeeded in coaxing a grin out of the older woman. Then a loud crack echoed through the prison yard and Axel crumpled- a bullet lodged in the hole where his eye used to be.

They were under attack.

-Lexi-

'Of all the stupid decisions you could have made...' she thought to herself as she pulled herself farther back into the cell. By the time she had realized the danger in G block she had been swarmed, and it was all she could do to pull herself into a cell and lock the door. The whole block was an ugly sight. Some prisoners must have tried to return to the safety of their cells, only to die of thirst and starvation and reanimate after death. The poor soul who had barricaded himself into her cell had elected to go with suicide instead, and still clasped in his decomposing hands was a small metal shank shoved brutally through the top of his mouth. He must have seen other suicides end in reanimation and been dead set on saving himself from an undead afterlife. Lexi shuddered at the thought.

With his shank, her two boot knives, and the small revolver she had tucked into her waist band she could hardly begin working on the walkers trapped outside the door. The gun only carried six rounds, which would barely make a dent in the swarm and all three of her hand weapons required her to get up close and personal- fine for one on one, but disastrous in crowds. She needed to think.

The walker in the cell next to her stretched towards her futilely as she sat with her back flat against the wall and tried to think. He still had a shank protruding from his neck. He didn't seem too mangled, so maybe it had been a suicide or just a plan murder that turned him, she couldn't be sure. She rarely ever focused on them as anything other than walkers, and she was beginning to chastise herself internally for giving so much thought to this monster when something caught her eye. On the floor of his cell was a pipe. Looking at it she realized he must have ripped it out from underneath the sink in his room. Lexi got up cautiously and moved towards him, holding one of her knives expertly in her good arm. She held out her injured arm just beyond his reach causing him to turn his torso and head to stretch for her, and in a flash she stabbed him behind the ear, dropping him immediately.

Twenty minutes later she was covered in sweat and her injured arm was throbbing with pain but she sat clutching the pipe triumphantly, having used the dead zombies body as a makeshift extend-o arm.

The efforts were exhausting her, and her stab wound, now almost two hours old, continued to bleed through the improvised binding she'd made using the cell's bedding. She needed to get back and have Caitlyn clean in and stitch it up sooner rather than later, and to do that she needed to fight her way out of this godforsaken cell block.

She didn't want to wait for Rick and the others to get back and have them risk their lives to save her. She was still fuming about Shane, and still deeply confused about what happened to him. She refused point blank to believe that Carl had just shot him. There was more to the story, and when she got out she'd find out what it was, but she didn't want to owe Rick and his people anything when she did.

If she was being honest with herself, a big part of her wasn't sure if they'd come after her even if she wanted them to. She had heard Carl screaming her name running after her, and winced at the thought of the pain she must have caused him. He would want her found, but what if Rick didn't feel the same way? What if her attack on Carol was enough of a reason for him to write her disappearance off as an easy solution to a complicated problem? It was clear there was no love lost between these people and her late brother afterall.

Seeing no other way, she picked up her hard won pipe, took aim, and began eliminating the walkers reaching into the cell. She had no idea how long she toiled, bringing the pipe down on the heads of the undead again and again. The only evidence of her efforts was the building pile of corpses outside her cell and the increasing tremble in her arm.

After what seemed like ages, she heard a banging sound at the other end of the cell block. She whipped around to see what it was but the quick movement was more than her exhausted body could bare. Stars clouded her vision as she stumbled to her knees. One of the walked reached out and grabbed her hair, pulling her backwards helplessly by her ponytail.

She didn't even have the adrenaline left to struggle away from her impending doom, when she heard a faint twang, and felt a brush of air against her face. The tugging ceased immediately, and she dropped face first into the safety of the cell in a dead faint.


	28. Chapter 28

**Please review! **

-Daryl-

His heart seized up as he watched her stumble to her knees. Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the windows that faced onto the courtyard, mercifully giving him a clear view of the walker clutching her ponytail. Exhaling methodically, he dispatched an arrow with expert precision killing it instantly, but his relief was short lived. the second she was released from the walker's death grip, Lexi fell forward, her head hitting the pavement of the cell floor with a meaningful thud. She was out of reach from the walkers, but things were far from fine.

He gazed at the wall of corpses surrounding her cell as he made quick work of the remaining walkers in the cell block. Even in his adrenaline fueled state his mind registered real awe, and something deeper- pride maybe?- at what she had accomplished in her weakened state. Nearly thirty walkers lay strewn in front of her cell. Had he not distracted her she might have been able to kill of the remaining twelve in an hour or so.

'If she'd fucking paced herself,' he thought to himself angrily as he stabbed one of the walkers in the eye and took out another one with a shot to the forehead. Eight to go.  
He realized that rage was beginning to build in him, replacing the fear that had filled him from the minute Glenn told him she had disappeared.

Who the fuck did she think she was running off like that? What the hell was she doing? Didn't she realize what it would do to Carl, to Rick, to Caitlyn if she got killed? Didn't she realize what it'd do to him?

More frustrated than ever he threw a walker off the stairs bodily, it's head bursting with a satisfying splat on the pavement below, and took out the last two still hovering in front of the cell. He'd barred the only entrance when he came in and besides the walkers still trapped in locked cells the place was clear for now.

Carefully, he began moving the corpses away from the door, concerned a live one might be stuck beneath its fallen comrades. After what seemed like an eternity, he cleared all of the bodies in front of her cell and began to work on the gerry-rigged lock some poor dead fuck had invented to keep him IN prison. Even after all this time the irony was still not lost on him.

He could see her torso moving up and down as she breathed and the sight began to calm him raging temper. Watching her sleep was becoming quite the hobby for him. He let himself into the cell, and kneeling, gently turned her over.

Her eyes shot open and instinctively, her arms flew up to defend herself. Quick as lightening, Daryl pinned them above her head stretching himself over her as he did so.

"Calm down woman, 'M not gonna hurt ya," he ground out through gritted teeth. He hadn't thought his body positioning out well, and he was suddenly painfully aware of the mere inches hat separated her magnificent breasts, rising and falling with her ragged breathing, and his own chest.

'You're a fucking animal,' he chastised himself mentally as he felt his cock hardening in spite of himself. 'She was just unconscious for fuck's sake.'

"Daryl," she whispered, her body sagging with relief and recognition. She closed her eyes momentarily and leaned her head against her muscular forearm. he released her and sat back, scoping her into his arms as he went.

"God I'm sorry," she said under her breath. She nuzzled into him for a moment, savoring the safety of them then opened her eyes and peered directly into his.

"Nuthin' to be sorry for," he muttered softly while she reached up to stroke his cheek. The movement sent a surge of through her arm and she winced in spite of herself.

He'd been about to kiss her right then and there out of relief and fury, but her flinch reminded him of the dire state of her health. Now was not the time, or the place.

"Cummon, let's get you back, get that cut fixed up." he said, standing and lifting her into his arms.

"No, I can walk," she said struggling to get down. "plus if it's not all clear we'll need to be able to defend ourselves."

Annoyed, but able to admit that she had a point, he released her begrudgingly.

" 'S fine by me, just take it slow, ain't no need to-"

His words were drowned out by the sound of a gunshot and a heavy thud, and with that Lexi was off, streaking towards the courtyard door.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

  
-Carl-

Bullets ricocheted off every surface of the courtyard sending chunks of brick flying through the air. He watched helplessly as Carol huddled behind Axel's corpse. He could hear his father and Michonne returning gunfire in the distance. Maggie ran out to them, taking someone out the guard tower and giving Carol the chance she needed to make a run for real cover. He prayed to god the his aunt still had the sense left to hide in the tall grass.

How could they have let their guard down like this?

The shooting slowed for a moment and Carl heard the crunch of tires rolling up the drive. The tension seemed to build as they all waited quietly and the sound of the approaching vehicle grew louder and louder.

Suddenly, a truck that looked like it had been used for animal control before bathe outbreak tore up the driveway, smashing through the outer gate as it went. They'd spent hours clearing that field, and now it was useless.

It came to a stop ten yards from where his aunt lay crouched in the tall grass. For one horrible moment Carl had thought it was going to hit her, or that the driver would kidnap her and take her back to Woodberry.

Still, the truck sat in the middle of the field idling for what felt like an eternity and Carl held his breath waiting. The silence was finally broken by the scrape of metal on metal as the truck lifted its back gate. Two dozen walkers made there way out the back, meandering slowly towards the place where his aunt lay helplessly.

Forgetting the danger, Carl ran out from where he was hiding slamming against the fence.

"Hey! Over here! Hey! HEY!" he yelled banging on the fence with his small fists. Behind him he heard Maggie resume firing at the Governor and his lackies and from the corner of this eye he saw Carol turn her gun on the crowd of walkers in the truck had released. Still some of them were making their way closer and closer to Caitlyn.

Carl cried out, overcome with fear and frustration. He couldn't bare to lose someone else, and focusing on that he threw himself against the fence again crying out.

"AUNT CAITLYN! RU-"

His scream died in his throat as the bullet threw him backwards against the metal bleachers. His head whipped back against the aluminum steps with a crack, and he saw no more.

-Lexi-

"NOO!"

Dazed and weak as she was the effort of the scream brought stars to her eyes but she didn't care. She dropped to her knees next to Carl, pulling him into her body with a sob. There was blood everywhere, running along the sleek metal of the bleachers and oozing out of his shirt.

Carol was there too she realized and together they were holding the boy tearing at his teeshirt to get a look at the wound. In the background she heard the sound of Rick shouting and cars pulling away, but in her world, in that moment, there was only Carl, only this boy who was the closest thing she'd every had to family, bleeding out in her arms.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," she whispered tears clouding her vision.

"Shh, it's ok it's ok. Lift his head Lexi, so I can get this off him," Carol said in a good attempt at a soothing tone, though underneath it her voice wavered with fear for the boy shed come to care so much for.

She did as she was told giving herself over to the older woman's authority. Carol examined his wound tenderly and then exhaled a breath Lexi hadn't realized she was holding.

"Hit him in the shoulder, it's a through and through. Didn't hit anything important. He'll be ok," Carol said rocking as silent tears of relief flooded down her face. Lexi let out a sob of relief herself and looked up across the field, just in time to see Michonne down the last of the walkers from the van and help a hobbling Caitlyn make her way towards the inner gate.

They were ok. And with that thought Lexi slumped into her second faint of the day, falling against the woman who had stabbed her only hours before. 9


End file.
